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-A) Unique Documented Developmental FP-45 Model 2 Liberator Pistol - NSN, 45 ACP cal., 4 inch round bbl., bright finish, metal grips. Starting with the “A” gun in the lot, this is an excellent example of a scarce World War II Liberator FP-45 Model 2 pistol. After the short lived Model 1’s misfiring problem, a guide pin was installed on top of the cocking knob and a small hole was drilled into the top of the breech block. This modification would prevent the cocking knob from turning as it traveled toward the breech block. This FP-45 would be known as the Model 2. Upon test firing it was evident that the modification was not strong enough to absorb the recoil. The guide pins would become loose or break from the mountings. It has a heavy cast aluminum cocking handle which is rotated to the side to allow loading through a gate. The base of the grips is hollowed out to hold 9 more rounds. The
pistol is devoid of markings. This exact Model 2 Liberator pistol is photographed and described in detail on page 57 of Ralph Hagan’s book “The Liberator Pistol”.
Along with the display, NRA silver medal, ammunition boxes, an original instruction manual and accessories, five sealed copies of Ralph Hagan’s book “The Liberator Pistol” are also included, and an immensely important historical handwritten letter from Lt. Fred Thacker, U.S. Army, who was the military representative on the FP-45 project at Guide Lamp during production and was presented the 1,000,000th FP-45 Liberator pistol, the last production example, that is included with this incredible grouping!
CONDITION: Excellent with only some slight discoloration on the metal from age. Mechanically excellent.
B) Extremely Rare and Unique Documented, Possibly the Very First, Pre-Production Prototype FP-45 Liberator Pistol, as Manufactured by Inland Division of General Motors - NSN, 45 ACP cal., 4 inch round bbl., red oxide finish, metal grips. This is included as one of five unique pre-production prototype FP-45 pistols made at the Inland plant in Dayton, Ohio, and is believed to possibly be the very first example of the grouping. Upon inception the Liberator pistol was a classified “secret” and in order to keep it a closely guarded secret, the decision was made to call it a Flare Projector, or simply referred to as the FP-45. A design was drawn up and a small experimental room was located at the Inland Manufacturing Division of General Motors Corp. in Dayton, Ohio. It is here that the first prototype was made. The small prototype reportedly had a 3 1/2 inch barrel length and was very hard to hold because of it’s size. The decision was made to add one half inch to the barrel length, bringing it to
4 inches as seen on this example. After many test firings, the pistol was judged acceptable. Inland produced a small handful
of unique prototypes, this pistol being one of them, before final blue prints were sent to other General Motors plants for use
in manufacturing the various parts for this pistol. All parts were given “cover names” in order to conceal their real purpose.
While the basic blue prints were being drawn up, the Chief of the Military Intelligence Service requested that an order for 1,000,000 pistols be submitted, thus starting the storied history of the Liberator pistol. After Inland would not accept the task of manufacturing the FP-45 due to being fully committed to production of the M1 Carbine, the task was given to the Guide Lamp plant in Anderson, Indiana. The visible parts used in manufacturing of this pre-production prototype are not the stamped type used on the subsequent models. Scribe marks showing where to cut and drill various parts still show. Gas welding was used instead of spot-welding. The pistol has a red oxide finish, the breechblock has square corners, the lower part of the trigger guard is supported by one long and two small indentations in each hand grip instead of four studs to hold the hand grips together, the cocking knob has a large hole through the center of it and the magazine plate has a square hole instead of the usual half round stamp hole. This pistol is pictured in “The Liberator Pistol” by Ralph Hagan on pages 51-52 and on the back cover. The book states, “This handmade pistol was used as a basic design for the final product. It has many features of the final product, but changes were later made to improve production ease and reliability. It was made by George Hyde either at his shop in Brooklyn or the Inland plant in Dayton, Ohio, or at both places.” The book further states, “This pistol was purchased from the estate of a retired General Motors employee from Dayton, Ohio. Paul Hamisch, who was a draftsman on this project at Guide Lamp [incorrect,
at Inland] and worked with Mr. Hyde, feels that this was the first Liberator pistol made.” An extremely rare opportunity to own possibly the very first prototype Liberator pistol ever made!
CONDITION: Excellent overall with the majority of its red oxide finish and some scattered light scratches. Mechanically excellent. What an addition to the “I thought I had it all” World War II collection. This specimen, in the writer’s opinion, is one of the most significant World War II pistols in existence!