Yeah.
I find it funny how Boeing can claim over 75 years of tanker experience when the last one they delivered was 45 years ago.
The first inflight refueling was between 2 DH-4B’s made by de Havilland.
Boeing is taking credit for something they had no part in.
http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/PopTopics/refueling.htm
The only thing Boeing can claim from early refueling was that they built the B-29’s that were later modified into KB-29’s. And even that’s a stretch since the refueling equipment installed was British designed and manufactured and was installed at an Air Force depot.
“In the UK, Alan Cobham bought the patent from David Nicolson and John Lord for £480 each and then pioneered research on the probe and drogue method, and gave public demonstrations of the system. In 1934, he founded Flight Refuelling Ltd. (FRL), and by 1938 had used an automatic system to refuel aircraft as large as the Short Empire flying boat Cambria from an Armstrong Whitworth AW.23.[3] Handley Page Harrows were used to refuel the Empire flying boats for regular transatlantic crossings. FRL still exists as part of Cobham plc.
In January 1948, General Carl Spaatz made aerial refueling a top priority of the new United States Air Force. In March 1948 USAF purchased two sets of Cobham’s refueling equipment, which had been in practical use with BOAC since 1946, and manufacturing rights to the system. FRL also provided a year of technical assistance.”
You seem to be forgetting the KC-10s (now also Boeing) and the KC-767ATs delivered. And your ignoring of the intervening years of maintenance and support is rather dishonest.
What was especially devastating to EADs was their inability to commit to a two year time line to stand up a support system. Boeing had no problem.