The Art of War: Are Black Triangles Real?

If you believe everything you read, see and hear on the Internet, then yes, black triangles quietly hovering above cityscapes then streaking across the night sky are indeed real. The so-called TR-3B “Black Manta” is a rumored, top-secret American anti-gravity spy plane, often described in conspiracy theories as a triangular “black triangle” UFO. Developed within “black projects”, it is said to use pressurized mercury accelerated by nuclear energy to create plasma-based anti-gravity, allowing for silent, high-speed, and high-G maneuvers.

Key Aspects of the TR-3B “Black Manta” include:

Misconceptions: The “TR-3B” differs from the alleged “TR-3A,” which is described as a conventionally powered, smaller tactical reconnaissance aircraft. 

Design & Technology: The craft is described as a massive, black triangular vessel with lights on each corner and a central, glowing circular mechanism. It is often referred to as a “flux liner”.

Performance: Rumored capabilities include hovering silently, making sharp, right-angle turns, and incredible acceleration, frequently reported over military areas in Southern California’s Antelope Valley.

Origin Rumors: Stories suggest the technology was derived from Nazi-era research after World War II. It is sometimes called “the bat” by researchers.

Official Status: There is no public evidence to confirm the existence of the TR-3B, and it is largely considered a conspiracy theory or a mis-identification of stealth aircraft like the F-117 Nighthawk or black project, as discussed on Reddit.

Whatever these objects are, they have fascinated both UFO conspiracy theorists and military-minded architects alike. According to Wikipedia, many of these UAPs have been classified as military aircraft and could well be responsible for many black triangle UFO reports. Several such sightings have been reported over Antelope Valley, an area of desert in Southern California. This stretch of desert draws people interested in potential “black project” aircraft because it is close to several known military research and testing areas, such as Edwards Air Force Base and United States Air Force Plant 42. A geographic analysis by the now-inactive National Institute for Discovery Science suggested that black triangles might be U.S. Air Force craft.

At least some of the proposed military types may be fictitious. The Northrop TR-3A Black Manta is a speculative surveillance aircraft purported to belong to the United States Air Force and to have been developed under a black project. It was said to be a subsonic stealth spy plane with a flying wing design. It was alleged to have been used in the Gulf War to provide laser designation for Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk bombers, for targeting to use with laser-guided bombs (since the F-117 possesses a laser designator, the reason for both aircraft being utilized is unclear). There is little evidence to support the TR-3’s existence; however, it is possible that black triangle UFO reports associated with Black Manta could be a technology demonstrator for a potential new-generation tactical reconnaissance aircraft, and/or that “TR-3” refers to a Technical Refresh of an existing program

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The Art of War: Could this be the Navy’s Next Aircraft?

In a bid to gain traction ahead of the US Navy’s upcoming fighter competition, Northrop Grumman released a slick video showcasing what its entry would look like should it get the nod to build the US Navy’s sixth generation fighter. Featuring robust landing gear, a blended body design and other cutting edge features emblematic of a futuristic aircraft, the Northrop Grumman version would likely boast top mounted engine intakes, a wide fuselage so it could carry weapons internally and a tailless design to reduce its radar signature. The Navy is due to make its decision later in 2026 as it chooses between the Northrop Grumman version and a similarly designed aircraft offered by Boeing. Whoever wins the competition would almost certainly earn the right to enter full scale production right from the get go, so that aircraft, in appreciable quantities, would join the fleet as early as 2035.

The accompanying video does an excellent job of providing more detailed information on the Northrop Grumman entrant, and discusses what the next-generation aircraft will mean to the US Navy’s efforts to maintain control and keep open all the world’s waterways. Many already believe that the Northrop design will win the competition, because Boeing has already been picked to build the US Air Force’s F-47 NGAD fighter. Typically, the DoD doesn’t like to place all of its eggs in one basket by going with one manufacturer for two all-important programs, should anything go wrong to delay the release of one or both aircraft.

From a diecast standpoint, none of the major model makers has made a serious attempt at replicating the upcoming F/A-XX, largely because no one knows who will win the upcoming competition nor do they have available — with absolute certainty — an exacting version of either of the contestants so they can prepare accordingly. Whichever aircraft wins the competition, you can bet that there will be several scale models to choose from, all in an effort to attract collectors, military historians and enthusiasts to our growing hobby.

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The Art of War: Russia’s Latest Chess Move

For several years now, Sukhoi’s Su-75 light attack aircraft, heretofore known as the “Checkmate” by Russian officials, was mired in development, first debuted to the public way back in 2021. An eternity in design circles, the Su-75 is, for all intents and purposes, a fifth generation stealth fighter created primarily for export purposes although it could end up serving alongside the Su-57 “Felon” much like the F-35 Lightning II flies in concert with the F-22 Raptor. Since its first showing, the stubby single-engine fighter has undergone a number of critical changes and updates, likely caused by budgetary constraints, assets diverted to the War in Ukraine, and other more pressing issues that have kept it on the back burner for half a decade.

Now, according to several sources, the “Checkmate” is ready for flight-testing, although no export customer has been signed as yet and questions regarding its stealth characteristics have come into play. From a modelmaking standpoint, its a good bet the Su-75 will end up garnering a bit of attention, provided it lives up to expectations and manages to reach operational status by 2030. If not, it could end up being an afterthought, heaped onto the junk pile of misbegotten projects by claims it could never live up to.

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The Forces of Valor Update: The Future Revealed?

We’ve been pestering Waltersons, the owners of the Forces of Valor brand, for months on end regarding what they planned to do with their range of military vehicles, warships and aircraft. Typically, we take things at face value, but when it comes to this manufacturer, they seem content to leave people guessing, particularly after their acquisition of Greenlight Collectibles a couple of years ago.

This week, at the Chinese Hobby Show held in Beijing, images surfaced that show the manufacturer hasn’t closed up as has been rumored for several months. While nothing in the way of new tooling was put on display, the photos are indeed encouraging, and demonstrate — at least on paper — that they are still in the diecast game even though they are leveraging old tooling to see them through for the foreseeable future.

The photos show several older 1:32 scale military vehicles getting a new coat of paint, insignia and updated markings, along with supposedly a new Sherman tank that is based upon Creighton Abrams’ “Thunderbolt”. It remains to be seen if any of these vehicles will be made available to retailers such as ourselves or if the manufacturer has decided to go it alone by selling these vehicles.through their own web site. We hope to have more information shortly, provided the manufacturer is ready to open up about their future plans. For now, we wont’ list them on our web site unless we know for sure that we can sell them, and do so by having hard-and-fast information at-hand.

Forgive me if I sound jaded and a bit put off, but trying to provide our clientele with accurate information is exceedingly difficult, not just because of the tariff situation but because this manufacturer seems as if they are doing thngs on a lark instead of attempting to appease both their dealers and clientele who have stood by them for years. In our case, we basically put them on the map after running all sorts of print advertisements talking up the line. Its a bittersweet way to say thank you when others rode our coattails for year’s on end.

Update: Now that the Beijing Hobby Show has concluded, we asked Waltersons about the “new’ish” vehicles shown above, wondering if they had pricing and dates of availability information at hand. Oddly, nothing was provided, other than to say they are expected later this year. So, it’s your guess as good as ours when these 1:32 scale tanks are coming out, their price and whether or not they will be made available to retailers such as ourselves. I’m not certain why a manufacturer would display product at a show then remain mum concerning further details. It could have to do with the Trump tariffs, which are still in limbo, or it could have nothing to do with any valued added taxes applied to product coming out of China. Its a strange situation nonetheless, and one they need to address if they plan to remain a viable “force” in the military diecast business.

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Films in Focus: Top Gun 3

At CinemaCon 2026, which is held in Las Vegas, Nevada, a panel announced that Top Gun 3 was well underway. While a script has yet to be finished, reports have surfaced that Tom Cruise will mark his return as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Additionally, Jerry Bruckheimer is set to come back as the film’s produced and Paramount, who recently acquired Warner Brothers, will once again bankroll the movie. No word as to when the film is set to debut or its story line, which will likely be a closely guarded secret until it finally reaches the big screen.

Top Gun Maverick, which opened in 2022, has reportedly grossed $718.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $777 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $1.496 billion. With figures like these, its no wonder why the ageless Tom Cruise decided to take one more trip in the cockpit of a US Navy fighter jet. No word as to which aircraft will be featured in the next film, although its a good bet that an F-35C, perhaps controlling a mini squadron of collaborative combat aircraft, could be depicted in the film.

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Hobby Master Keeps Cranking Them Out

1:72 scale US Navy Grumman A-6E Intruder Attack Aircraft – 160428, VA-34 “Blue Blasters”, Late 1970s

Ever since they burst onto the scene way back in 2006, I’ve always been fascinated by Hobby Master’s ability to keep cranking out new product on a month-by-month basis. In twenty years time, the range has grown exponentially, oftentimes branching into new areas few diecast manufacturers would even consider testing. Earlier this year, it was announced that Hobby Master had obtained many of the molds once owned by the now defunct Century Wings, no doubt paying homage to the Japanese model maker and recognizing they still had plenty of life left within them. That said, the first pairing of former Century Wings aircraft are now getting the nod to be incorporated into the Hobby Master arsenal. And, if that weren’t enough to pique your interest, 15 additional models are set to roll off the assembly line, meaning November is going to be a very busy month when they all see the light of day. So without further ado, here’s what you can look forward to sitting beside the turkey come Thanksgiving:

1:72 Scale

1:72 scale US Navy Grumman KA-6D Intruder Refueling Aircraft – 149951, VA-35 “Black Panthers”, USS Nimitz (CVN-68), 1975

1:72 scale RCAF Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VIF Fighter – No.405 “Vancouver” Squadron, Warwickshire, England, 1943

1:72 scale Israeli Defense Force Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk.X Fighter – RD446, 103 “Elephants” Squadron, Nevatim Airbase, Israel, 1948

1:72 scale USAF Douglas A1-H Skyraider Attack Aircraft – 52-139738, “The Proud American”, 1st Special Operations Squadron, Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, June 1972

1:72 scale Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2A Multirole Fighter – 13-8514, 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Tsuiki Air Base, Japan, 2017

1:72 scale USAF General Dynamics F-16C Viper Fighter – 91-0348, 79th Fighter Squadron “Tigers”, 20th Fighter Wing, March 2026 [Have Glass Scheme]

1:72 scale USAF General Dynamics F-16C Viper Fighter – 86-0334, 93rd Fighter Squadron “Makos”, 482nd Fighter Wing, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, 2025 [Have Glass Scheme]

1:72 scale USAF Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II Ground Attack Aircraft – 78-0164, 23rd Operations Support Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group, March 2026

1:72 scale US Navy Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet Strike Fighter – 156601, VFA-37 “Ragin’ Bulls”, USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78), March 2026

1:72 scale USAF Lockheed U-2S “Dragon Lady” Reconnaissance Aircraft – 80-1077, 5th Reconnaissance Wing, Osan AFB, Japan, 2025

1:72 scale US Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – 159434, VF-143 “Pukin’ Dogs”, NAS Oceana, Virginia, 1976

1:72 scale Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKK “Flanker-G” Fighter – 66153

1:72 scale Russian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25BM “Foxbat-B” Interceptor – “White 43”, Ahtubinsk AB, Russia, 1987

1:48 Scale

1:48 scale RAF Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vb Fighter – W3257, Flight Leftenant Eric Lock, No.611 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, England, July 1941

1:48 scale RAF Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vb Fighter – W3320, Pilot Officer Donald Kingaby, No.92 Squadron, RAF Biggin Hill, England, July 1941

1:32 scale

1:32 scale US Navy Grumman F6F-5P Hellcat Fighter – VF-84 “Wolf Gang“, USS Bunker Hill (CV-17), August 1945

1:8 scale

1:8 Chinese Astronauts’ High-Tech Spacesuit for 2030 Moon Landing

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Calibre Kicks it Up a Notch

At the China Beijing Hobby Expo Show, which is due to throw open its doors on April 117th, Calibre Wings drew back the curtains on their second rendition of their best-selling B-58 Hustler strategic bomber. Dubbed “Old Grandpappy”, the next iteration is based upon one of the XB-58 prototypes that took to the air in 1956. Decked out in a natural metal finish with orange tips, the latest version of Calibre’s B-58 will likely come in a handsome presentation case, which became the hallmark of the now sold out first version.

No official release date was given, so we’re assuming its due out towards the end of the calendar year, likely in time for the holidays. Also on display was a new F-14 Tomcat, perhaps based upon the aircraft depicted towards the end of the feature film, Top Gun: Maverick.

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JC Wings Returns to the Fore

JC Wings 1:72 scale Iraqi Su-22M4 “Fitter-K” Variable-Sweep Wing Fighter-Bomber – 1989

Every so often we drop a line for one reason or another, particularly if we feel it is either under-performing or presenting more problems than its worth. For nearly a year, we decided to withhold purchasing any products from JC Wings for two very important reasons. Firstly, they continued to sell in lots of six pieces, meaning it took quite some time before an SKU was exhausted. Secondly, and possibly more importantly, their rate of return was becoming problematic with people reporting missing or defective parts at an alarming rate. This issue was compounded by the fact that the manufacturer did not have its own web site to both promote their products and interact with their clientele. So, when you make it difficult for a customer to correspond about a problem, they naturally head back to where they purchased the item to seek some sort of corrective measures.

Fortunately, the manufacturer seems to have taken several proactive steps to head off our concerns. For starters, they have reduced their carton count to two pieces instead of six, making it far easier to purchase stock from our distributor. Second, they launched their own web site several months ago, all in an effort to better market their products and stay in touch with their customers. And finally, they seem to be more willing to listen to the customers at both the retail and end-user level, providing parts, where needed, to keep everyone in the loop happy.

That said, we have decided to once again carry their line of 1:72 scale military aircraft. While they still seem to have a narrow focus, both the packaging and subjects are first-rate, meaning that their models still seem to sell well despite price increases and the Trump tariffs tacked on. We’ve listed several of their upcoming projects on our web site — two are due some time in June while the balance are expected this fall. We invite you to take a look and now feel quite confident that the manufacturer is ready to stand behind their models from beginning to end, nose cone to tail.

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Tales of Transparency: Well, Here We Go Again

President Donald Trump warned China could face “staggering” new tariffs if caught supplying military aid to Iran, escalating tensions as the U.S. prepares to squeeze the regime with a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.

“Maybe they [provided military aid to Iran] a little bit at the beginning, but I don’t think they would anymore, no,” Trump said in an exclusive “Sunday Morning Futures” interview.

“But if we catch them doing that, they get a 50% tariff, which is a staggering amount.”

The move comes as reports have surfaced that China is actively providing weaponry to Iran in its war against the US and Israel. While no firm evidence has been provided, the US is adamant that the PRC is providing ManPads (Man Portable Anti-Aircraft Defense systems) and other crucial arms to Iran. Bear in mind that the PRC obtains much of its oil imports from the Middle East, so a blockade by the US Navy would have an adverse effect on their economy.

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Product Spotlight: Peering into the Night

Corgi’s 1:72 scale German Messerschmitt Me 410A-1 Heavy Fighter – Leutnant Rudolf Abrahamczik, “Black F”, 14./Kampfgeschwader 2 “Holzhammer”, Late 1943

Last year, one of the mist successful models to fly onto the diecast battlefield was Corgi’s inaugural Messerschmmit Me 410 night fighter. In fact, it sold so well, that we were unable to acquire back up stock, and were forced to sell off what we did receive within mere weeks of its arrival. Fortunately, Corgi read the tea leaves, and understood that a second version was needed tout de suite.

The Luftwaffe’s long range night intruder campaign towards the end of the Second World War was intended to disrupt Allied air operations, spreading confusion and panic by infiltrating bomber streams, or striking at aircraft whose crews had ‘switched off’ as they approached their base at the end of another long mission. The Messerschmitt Me 410 was ideally suited to this task – fast and heavily armed, these Fernnachtjagd aircraft operated in conjunction with the regular Blitz bomber force, with more specific targets and often operating alone in the dark night skies.

Despite being an extremely capable aircraft in this role, night-intruder Me 410s were hunted mercilessly the second they crossed the English Channel, and no mission ever passed without incident. Britain’s air defense network had been fine-tuned to make any incursion over the country a torrid experience for Luftwaffe pilots and the cover of darkness offered little protection. RAF de Havilland Mosquito night fighters were the perfect nocturnal hunters, taking a heavy toll of Luftwaffe aircraft of all types, including the Messerschmitt Me 410.

The aircraft modelled here wears a camouflage scheme which was perfect for night intruder operations and was flown by one of the Luftwaffe’s very best, Rudolf Abrahamczik, a highly decorated bomber pilot with at least 233 combat missions to his name, many of which were in this role.

Expect Corgi’s second Me-410 to left off sometime in May.

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