The old-warship argument also applies to aviation when a once-advanced fighter loses its edge. Building the leading fighter of an era is demanding, while adapting an aircraft that already flies to carry bombs can be much easier. The Messerschmitt Bf 110 became a tank-buster, and Soviet fighters moved into ground-attack work. The Hawker Hurricane provides the British comparison, gaining new value in North Africa even as the Spitfire took more of the fighter prestige. Technological obsolescence in one role can open a useful second career in another.
Notable Point · 2:26:43-2:28:25
Why older fighters often become ground-attack aircraft
Once an aircraft is no longer a top fighter, its existing performance and payload capacity can still make it useful for ground attack.