The Liberator Pistol

The first handmade Liberator Pistol	The last Liberator Pistol off the assembly line

The correct name for the Liberator Pistol is the "Flare Projector" Caliber .45 (FP-45). During 1942 over a six month period one million pistols were produced. Actual production of the pistol was about 11 weeks. Using that figure, 300 people produced a pistol with 23 parts every 6.6 seconds, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 11 weeks. This is probably the only pistol that could be made faster than it could be loaded. Loading takes about 10 seconds.

Many stories have been told about how this pistol was distributed and used. Some are true but most have no basis. The story about how they were dropped into occupied France by the tens of thousands has not been documented. They were used in France but in very limited numbers. Most of the pistols were used in the Philippines and China. Another story is that the pistols were made for the OSS. The OSS had no knowledge of this pistol until after development and production was completed. They were developed for and made by the U.S. Army, who later gave them to the OSS.