Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) describing a person or thing that is impressive or successful; currently fashiomable (see cite 1992).

1916		Hall & Niles One Man’s War (1929) 156: I have found an account of the Bar-le-Duc bombing raid which is whiz-bang!
1929		S. Ornitz Haunch Paunch and Jowl 119: We have roof-reverberating coon-shouters and a whizbang ragtime band.
1943		E. Pyle Here Is Your War (1945) 9: There was genuine talent in it [...] as well as the whiz-bang stuff.
1955		‘Ed Lacy’ Best that Ever Did It (1957) 160: I’m the whizbang dick, the mighty private eye.
1978		L. Kramer Faggots 71: A whiz bang whammerino of a Ma.
1986		R.G. Barrett Godson 130: ‘How are you mate?’ he said brightly. ‘Absolutely whizz bang, old boy’.
1992		P. Earley Hot House 32: There is a permanence about the penitentiary at Leavenworth that transcends the [...] whizbang architecture that makes prisons look like suburban shopping malls.
2000		Indep. on Sun. Real Life 23 Jan. 3: There’s no whizz-bang ornamentation.
2008		R. Fortey Dry Store Room No. 1 97: The latest whiz-bang computer program.
2023		(con. 1962) J. Ellroy Enchanters 422: ‘You’re a whizbang detective, and Jimmy’s a numbnuts’.