Dilution of Axis air power in the fall of 1941

The German air unit in the Mediterranean was Fliegerkorps X. They had a force of He-111 and Ju-88 bombers. Both had a considerable range. They might well have caused a great deal of damage if they had been concentrated on bombing Malta, the Suez, or even the British supply lines. Instead, they were occupied in tasks for which they were ill-suited and misused. The primary one was escorting convoys. I suppose the idea was to bomb any British surface attackers. The Official History offers the opinion that Fliegerkorps X was inadequate for the demands being made up on it. This is based on the account in Vol.II of the Official History.