Question for the americans... Colander

Swiss cheese is a bit too much of a cliche for me... i'm happy with a colander if its a term Americans will recognise... i'm definitely not going to do the 'more holes than that bar girl' thing that suggested higher up.... because more than four or five holes doesn't really communicate a plane that's been shot to shit. If i wanted to use that kind of metaphor i'd be looking more at something like "we got fucked worse than a B girl on a friday night"

The A1 was notorious for its ability to take damage and still fly, (from my research there was one on Sandy duty at Nakon Phanom, that came back with 453 holes in it but still flying more or less okay) They also spent a lot of time roaring around low doing rescap duty and supporting special forces so they used to take a lot of hits from AK and SKS fire, there were even some reports of them coming back with arrows stuck in the fuselage

 

I'd respectfully submit that you're wrong, since i asked this question I've found references to a Colander in both low Level hell by Hugh Mills (Non fiction bio- flying OH1 scoutships) and Chickenhawk by Robert Mason (non fiction bio - flying Huey slicks)... there's also one in Michael Lee Lanning's Company Commanders journal, although he's referring to a helmet that's been perforated by shrapnel.

(*Mills also has the great line "less a chopper than a collection of damaged parts flying in close formation" but I can't really use that without edging into plaigarism )

This is the problem with some members of this forum at times, the question i asked was "Do most Americans know what a colander is?" not "please critique the believablility of my book, or attempt to rewrite the phrases concerned."

I'd also note that while I respect your service - you previously said you were infantry, that doesn't really qualify you as an expert on how a pilot might think or talk

 

Personally i knew what a colander was in my early 20s because my mother cooked... tbh honest its a throw away line, I very much doubt many readers will give it much thought so long as its a term americans use... I'm trying to make sure I don't perpetrate a pavement/sidewalk Boot/trunk Bonnet/hood etc mistake

Anyway thanks to everyone who replied, I've got what i need now.