Carrying on from what "Pop" has said, could a 40s carrier fighter aircraft get airborne from an anchored carrier (not using catapults which presumeably took quite a long time to load - especially if under attack ) ?
Carriers did not have catapults back then, all "free" take offs. I think arming up and rangeing any fighters would probably take too long even if there was sufficient deck run and wind over deck to get off.
Anyway, as Goering signalled to the Japanese Fleet: "Good Show numbnuts, but I said could you attack Poole Harbour for us".