The "Smith & Wesson 45" in the plane is identified, on IMDb guns, as a model 22. But it's not.
As you can see in this picture, it is an N frame, it has fixed sights, and it has an ejector rod shroud.
The current model 22 - the 22-2 - has an ejector rod shroud. But the model 22 available when this movie was made did not. From the standard catalog, 3rd edition:
Caliber: .45 ACP. Introduced in November of 1951. Double-action revolver built on the square butt N service frame with five screws. Similar to the Model of 1917 with 5-1/2” pinned barrel, short throw hammer, Magna walnut grips with S&W medallions and diamond around the screw escutcheon. New design postwar hammer block indicated with an “S” serial prefix. The lanyard ring was largely discontinued. Blue finish, 6-shot fluted cylinder with a nominal length of 1.53”, 1/10” round blade front sight with square notch rear sight. “.45 CAL MODEL 1950” stamped on the barrel, with
non-shrouded extractor rod.
The hole in the end of the barrel is too big for 38, so it can't be a 38/44 heavy duty. The only other shrouded rod fixed sight N frame in that time period was a 44 hand ejector. That particular gun was also available in 45, so that could be a 45 she has. But more than likely it's a 44 special. And they called it a 45 in the movie because they called it a 45 in the book. Frequently in Bond movies they would quote the book, even when it did not apply to what was happening in the movie.
For example, Thunderball, where the guy shot the lump in the bed six times with a 1911, and then Jimmy over in the corner tells him that that was a Smith and Wesson and he had had his six, and then shoots him. But it wasn't a Smith & Wesson, and it should have held between seven and eight shots, and he could have certainly shot back.
