During which years did the first air war occur?

The first air war is widely recognized as occurring during World War I, which lasted from 1914 to 1918. During this conflict, aviation technology advanced rapidly, leading to the introduction of military aircraft in combat scenarios. Airplanes were initially used for reconnaissance purposes, but as the war progressed, they were increasingly deployed in roles such as air-to-air combat and bombing missions. Notably, this period saw the emergence of fighter pilots, strategic bombing campaigns, and significant developments in aircraft design and capabilities.

The timeline of the war, along with the nature of how aviation was integrated into military strategies, solidifies the period of 1914 to 1918 as the first true air war in history. In contrast, the other time frames provided correspond to different events that either did not focus on aerial combat in a significant way or occurred after the advancements in military aviation established during World War I.