The expression, "The whole nine yards" comes from WW2 when American fighters, mainly the Corsair and/or the Hellcat/Wildcat series (I am pretty sure it was they), would load up on .50 BMG ammo. They would take up to nine yards of bullets on a belt, and when they returned from shooting down enemy planes (Google the Marianas Turkey Shoot, please), their ground crews would boast that they shot off the whole nine yards. I guess these plance would be using the whole nine inches? nine centimeters? heh
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