Bomb Release Lever Assembly Mk 29

This is a WWII-era Aircraft Bomb Release Lever assembly, Mark 29, as used on US Navy aircraft with wing-mounted bomb racks such as the TBD Douglas Devastator Torpedo Bomber. See photo from TBD-1 manual dated 1937.  Identifying numbers on it are 147599-10.  See spec sheet in photo gallery.

The mechanism has 4 spring-loaded levers, 3 of which would have been attached to cables which exited the bottom side of the box. The right and left levers each mechanically release an individual wing-mounted 500 lb bomb when pulled down, as each would have been connected to one of the cables running to the wing-mounts. The upper center lever labeled BOMB DROP 1000, when pulled down, engages both 500 lb bomb levers from inside the box and pulls them down, which pulls their cables and drops both wing-mounted 500 lb bombs simultaneously (others have speculated that this lever dropped a single 1000 lb bomb, but the mechanical design does not support that speculation). As the bottom center lever is moved from SAFE (at top) to ARM (at bottom), it pulls a third cable intended to release a safety mechanism mounted elsewhere in the aircraft to prevent accidental release.

The artifact is in good condition given its apparent age. It does show some tarnishing, see photos.  All 4 levers engage their springs and shift through their full range.  Measures ~9 inches long, ~3 inches wide, and ~4 inches deep.  A very cool artifact indeed.