Again, thank you all. Here we go then…
As you can see, the old girl needs a lot of TLC, and lots of bits! At the moment my mate and I are just scrubbing off rust and cleaning stuff up. This is a big job that involves sore arms and knocked-about hands – heaps of projecting pieces of metal. However, we are working in a nice sheltered garage with fans and a radio. Boggles the mind how RAAF fitters did the same thing on some stinking hot tropical strip with no shade or beer!

Thanks chaps – you are all a bunch of champs.

A google search using the words “bomb release type A-2” yielded success. What I have is actually a “Bomb Release Type A-2”.
How about that?
Mine doesn’t look at all like the pic – it is rusty and has a big hole and dent right in the centre, jamming the release lever, and jagged bits of aircraft frame still attached to the back of it.

According to a couple of warbirds parts sites, this release was fitted to B-17’sand B-24’s.

My grandfather was a farmer near Leybourn, Queensland, Australia, where there was a B-24 base during WWII. I can only suppose he picked it up there.

Prices for a boxed bomb release range from $US8 – $US65, depending on condition.

Needless to say, I prefer mine.