Overall a standard wartime issue Colt 1911A1 pistol, as "G.H.D." inspected and delivered in 1943, with a "COLT 45 AUTO" barrel, matching numbered slide, reinforced Colt grips and an "L" marked full blue magazine, this pistol also features a "dipped" black finish, a set of German "eagle/N" commercial proofs on the slide, barrel and frame, the "Hege" mark of Hege GmbH on the barrel and frame, and the "KF (antler)" marking of the Ulm proof house in 1995 on the frame, with the barrel and frame markings positioned on the left side to be concealed when assembled. An included letter from noted writer Charles Clawson breaks down the particulars; according to War Department records, about 12,997 semi-automatic pistols (a mix of new-made 1911A1s and 1911s already in stock went to the Soviet Union as part of Lend-Lease, both as individual items and as part of the equipment issued with American vehicles and aircraft. Most of these pistols effectively vanished off the face of the Earth; the Americans didn't keep a hard record of which pistols went East, and the Soviets were invested in the native-made Tokarev and Nagant handguns. In 1994 a large batch of Lend-Lease 45s were found in a warehouse in Ukraine (the former Ukranian Soviet Socialist Republic), showing a mix of original blue/parkerized finish and Soviet Arsenal dipped black, which were acquired by Hege and processed through the Ulm proof house before sale. In essence, these Ukranian pistols are the only Soviet Lend-Lease 1911A1's with any real paper trail. Included with the pistol is the Clawson letter, articles on Lend-Lease, and an overview of what sort of materials the Soviets received.

Very fine as arsenal refurbished, with 95% plus "dipped" black finish, showing some light handling wear overall and a few scuffs and scratches concentrated on the front strap and slide. The barrel shows a deeper Colt blue finish, with minimum cycling wear. The grips are excellent with some driver marks on the screw heads and minor dings. Mechanically excellent.