Originally Posted by
DaveReidUK
A similar more recent usage would be describing the 727, TriStar, etc as a "3 holer".
A description that puzzled the heck out of me for years as I had no conception of engines being referred to as 'holes'. Neither, I suspect, did may others.
I did wonder if it meant some biplane with 3 open cockpits for the crew to lurk in, maybe some derivative of a long-range Wapiti or similar.
Some nicknames really are so esoteric they mean absolutely nowt to those not involved.
On the other hand the one and a half strutter was a name I have known since my earliest days of aviation interest and the meaning was completely, intuitively self-evident, struts being an integral part of a biplane's anatomy.
Utterly unlike 'holes'.