Did the use of early aircraft in a ground support role significantly contribute to the war on the ground during the Great War of 1914-1918?

The thrill of aviation has held mankind's imagination since he first watched the birds in the sky. The early 20th century was a pivotal moment in history, with the addition of submarines, tanks, long-range artillery, and aircraft. Since 1903, man has proven that powered, controlled flight is possible above the dunes of North Carolina. The Great War of 1914-1918, or the First World War, was a critical period in which both sides tested new technologies and transitioned out the old. A mere ten years later, the world's armed forces began to examine various applications the aircraft offered.  First World War airpower is often viewed as insignificant concerning the broader conflict.  These conceptions oversimplify the impact of pursuit and bomber aviation and ignore the role of aerial observation and overall battlefield integration. The use of early aviation in ground support roles significantly contributed to the war on the ground. While limited by technology and doctrine, the lessons of early aviation learned during that period directly influenced the development of more effective air-ground coordination in later conflicts.  Over a century ago, mankind incorporated the aeroplane into its killing machine inventory.  The research will examine the opposing sides and their approaches to aerial close support.

Is this a characteristic of a military culture? Conversely, the British Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and France's Aéronautique Militaire (Military Aeronautics) initially focused on reconnaissance and air superiority, much like their German counterparts. The Allies chose to modify existing aircraft that were made obsolete by newer German aircraft and were not really 'ground attack aircraft' but 'aircraft used for ground attack. It would not be until 1918 that the Allies would develop mission-specific aircraft to support the troops on the frontline and strike behind the lines into German supply depots and troop concentrations. While the Germans were early adopters of specialized ground attack tactics, the Allies evolved their approach more gradually—initially through improvisation, and later through innovation. By the end of the war, both sides had demonstrated the strategic value of air power in direct support of ground operations, setting the stage for its expanded role in future conflicts. Ground support aviation between 1914 and the Battle of France in 1917 evolved significantly as military doctrines adapted to the realities of trench warfare and technological innovation. At the onset of war, Unarmed or lightly armed aircraft like Britain's Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 and France's Voisin III aircraft served in a support role, spotting artillery shots and conducting photographic reconnaissance.[2] With no formal aerial ground attack doctrine, aircraft were vulnerable to attack from enemy fighters like the French Morane-Saulnier Type N Bullet and German Fokker E1 Eindekker. The introduction of synchronized machine guns, firing through the propeller arc without striking it, was a game-changer, and the shoot-downs began to multiply. Britain and France used outdated aircraft, like the Sopwith Camel, and reconnaissance aircraft were retrofitted with light bombs and machine guns.[3] British Airco DH.4 and France's Breguet 14 made low-level strikes as the war progressed, disrupting troop concentrations and bombing supply depots. German Schlachtstaffeln of Halberstadt CL.II's and Hannover CL. III's provided tactical ground support, coordinating with infantry and other ground units.[4]  During the second half of 1917, the Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte fielded the world's first metal ground support aircraft, the Junkers J.1.An armor-plated engine, fuel tank, and cockpit gave the aircrew a measure of protection from ground fire.