Parking a CV within 10 mile radius of enemy base is just asking to be hit.
Besides, unless the enemies are REALLY out to kill the CV, (...like the last time when I saw 3x B26 formations with 9x buffs gathered together, all plunging toward the CV at once..), individual jabos or bombers can be defended easily if only the defenders are smart enough to set up dedicated pilots for active high-alt CAP.
The last time I flew CAP duty with fellow Rooks, it was an inspiring experience. We set the CV south of enemy base about 13 miles. It was a great big furball with very tense action, but I and a few others voluntarily flew high-alt CAP.
The fight went long, very different from how the usual "set CV 5 miles off shore and capture it quick or fail miserably" type of "all-or-nothing" furball goes.. where everybody fights down low for 30 minutes, and then watches helplessly as enemies come in and sink the flat-top.
The CV closed slowly towards the base while we were continuously fighting, knocking out jabo attempts every time. Us at high alt killed down jabos, and those at low dealt with enemy fighters. I myself got about three P-47Ds, three Typhoons and two P-38s in two sorties. Additional kills of 2~3 A-20s, some Lancasters and one B-17. Finally, we trashed the field and kept out CV alive through a three hour fight. The enemy field was captured.
In the end, once the enemy jabos were put down, I found plenty of time to fight in the furball before returning to CV to rearm/replane and start another CAP sortie.
..
If everybody's busy down low scratching their bellies against the ground, and are just too good to fly duties actually needed in the area.. then fek 'em. They deserve to lose their CV.
