Is it possible to install Windows natively on an Intel Mac that has no OS and only external storage?

I've got an old mid-2013 MacBook Air (A1465 EMC 2631) that's has no internal storage. Only external HD/SSD via USB. I have an M1 MacBook Air with macOS Sequoia to assist in this effort. I used the old Air for years so I’m confident it will still work but I don't currently have the media with the OS on it and it's been in storage for a couple of years. I now want to use it for the occasional Windows experiment. (Probably Windows 10) Can I install Windows directly onto it from its current blank state? Or is it only possible via Bootcamp? (Some drivers not available for instance?) Or is it the case that I can install Windows directly onto it but need to install macOS first, or need to install Windows via BootCamp first? (I specifically mention the lack of the original internal SSD because this causes issues for macOS. From memory I could do each upgrade from Mountain Lion to Sierra, but not High Sierra or newer. So this could also conceivably be a problem for installing Windows.)