Scenario: You are on a mission to bomb an airfield that is 2000 miles away, but your range is only 1000 miles. This of course means using air-to-air refuelling tankers.
Problem: Are you better off using 5 small tankers (say Handley Page Victors) or 2 large tankers (say KC-135s)? Give your answer in the comments.
@Avro683Lancaster You're absolutely right, I was referring to Op. Black Buck. The USAF offered to loan some KC-135s to the RAF to carry out the operation, but if you have two big tankers and one goes unservicable you're worse off than if you had five small ones and one went unservicable, so the RAF said no.
@OrangeBoardEnterprise I’m fairly certain @TheFantasticTyphoon is referring to Operation Black Buck with the victors, and possibly to either the B-2 Spirit bombings of Kosovo or Operation Chrome Dome with the KC-135s
@OrangeBoardEnterprise Yes, but it was converted into a tanker once the problem of metal fatigue was recognised.
And Victor is a bomber
How is that a problem? Thats a choice the seniors have to make.