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FP-45 Liberator

Small Arms And Sidearms

The FP-45 Liberator is a single-shot .45 ACP pistol designed by George Hyde and manufactured in the United States by the Guide Lamp Division of General Motors over a few weeks in mid-1942, intended for distribution to resistance fighters in enemy-occupied territory. About one million were produced at a unit cost of roughly two dollars, but most were never actually issued to resistance movements as originally planned, and documented combat use is scarce because of the clandestine nature of the operations it was meant for. After the war, Allied forces destroyed most of the surviving stock rather than let the pistols circulate further. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Classification
Caliber
.45 ACP 1
Service Status
Retired 2
Weapon Class
Handgun 3
Introduced Year
1942 2
Weapon Class
Weapon Class (category)
Pistol / Revolver 3
FAQs

How was the FP-45 Liberator supposed to be used in the field?

It was a one-shot pistol to be air-dropped to resistance fighters, who would fire once and then take the fallen enemy's better weapon.

The Liberator was planned in 1942 by the US Army's Joint Psychological Warfare Committee as a cheap, quickly mass-produced pistol for resistance fighters in enemy-occupied territory. It was meant to be air-dropped in large quantities, and the fighter was to fire its single shot at an enemy soldier and then take the dead or wounded man's far more effective weapon. It was not issued to US or Allied forces. To hide its purpose, it was given the misleading name Flare Projector Caliber .45, so that it looked like a signal flare gun. Although about one million were made, only a small percentage were used in the war.
Connections

Operated By

People's Liberation Army, Armed Forces and Units
Source Military Factory: FP-45 (Liberator / OSS Pistol / M1942 Pistol) Single-Shot Pistol
United States Armed Forces, Armed Forces and Units
Source Wikipedia: FP-45 Liberator

Used In

World War II, Wars
Source Wikipedia: FP-45 Liberator
In the Other Atlases

Manufactured By

General Motors

Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.

Source Wikidata: FP-45 Liberator
Sources
1. Wikipedia: FP-45 Liberator
  • Infobox: service
    1942 - 1945
  • Infobox: cartridge
    .45 ACP
  • Used In: World War II, infobox wars field: 'World War II'
  • Operated By: United States Armed Forces, Article text
    The FP-45 Liberator is a handgun manufactured by the United States military during World War II for use by resistance forces in occupied territories.
View the Source
2. Wikidata: FP-45 Liberator
Wikidata Q935636, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
3. Wikipedia: FP-45 Liberator
  • Lead paragraph
    is a handgun manufactured by the United States military during World War II
  • Weapon class classified from the entity's own sourced description text.
View the Source
FP-45 Liberator (Wikidata)
WikidataWikidata Q935636 (P729 service entry): 1942
Quote, Wikidata Q935636 (P729 service entry): 1942
Service entry (Wikidata property P729): 1942.
View the Source
Military Factory: FP-45 (Liberator / OSS Pistol / M1942 Pistol) Single-Shot Pistol
Military FactoryOperated By: People's Liberation Army, Operators list
Quote, Operated By: People's Liberation Army, Operators list
China; Philippines
View the Source
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