FP-45 Liberator pistol

FP-45 Liberator pistol

The FP-45 pistol, better known as the 'Liberator' or, less respectfully, as the 'Woolworth Gun' was devised in 1942, in response to a request from the United States Joint Psychological Warfare Committee. They envisaged a cheap pistol which could be air-dropped into enemy occupied countries in huge quantities to stimulate attacks upon the occupying forces. The Liberator was a single-shot, smooth-bored, pistol. Consequently it was of use at very short ranges only. It was however chambered for the powerful .45 ACP cartridge - ten of which could be stored in its butt. For distribution purposes it was packaged in a box with ten rounds of ammunition, a rod for poking fired cartridge cases out of the chamber and a pictorial instruction sheet. 1,000,000 Liberator's were produced in considerable secrecy by the Guide Lamp division of General Motors. In the event only a relatively small proportion of these weapons saw use in the field. The great majority of these appear to have been distributed to friendly civilians in the China, South East Asia and Pacific theatres of operations.