Bomb Release Lever Assembly US Navy Mk 29

This is what appears to be a WWII-era Aircraft Bomb Release Lever assembly. We have been unable to identify this artifact in any reference materials to-date, but have found references on the Internet claiming that this is a US Navy Mark 29 Bomb Release Lever used on aircraft with wing-mounted bomb racks.  We have also found this was used in the TBD Douglas Devastator Torpedo Bomber which also could be fitted with wing-mounted bomb racks (see photo from TBD-1 manual dated 1937).  The only two identifying numbers on it are 147599-10 and 147599-11, see photos.

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.  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.