| FP-45 Liberator | |
|---|---|
  The FP-45/M1942 | |
| Type | Single-shot handgun, derringer |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1942–1945 |
| Used by | Dropped into occupied territories for use by insurgents |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | George Hyde[1] |
| Designed | May 1942[1] |
| Manufacturer | Guide Lamp Division of General Motors Corporation[1] |
| Unit cost | $2.10 (1942)[1] ($37.70 in 2022) |
| Produced | June 1942 – August 1942[1] |
| No. built | 1,000,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1 lb (450 g) |
| Length | 5.55 in (141 mm) |
| Barrel length | 4 in (100 mm) |
| Cartridge | .45 ACP |
| Action | Single-shot |
| Muzzle velocity | 820 ft/s (250 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 8 yd (7.3 m) |
| Feed system | Single-shot |
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. The Liberator was never issued to American or other Allied troops, and there are few documented instances of the weapon being used for its intended purpose; this was compounded by the intended recipients – irregulars and resistance fighters – rarely keeping detailed records due to the inherent risks if the records were captured by the enemy. Few FP-45 pistols were distributed as intended, and most were destroyed by Allied forces after the war.[1]