Hi y’all. A few years ago I built a Graupner Taucher Wulf from their “Easy Build Up” kit. If any of y’all followed the build you’ll note that A: I was in over my head at that time and B: I was not happy with the results. It ran well, but I did not have the experience to finish it right, and the horrid instructions didn’t help. That was my 2nd attempt at scale boat modeling, the first was a Krick Felix, which turned out nicely. Now, several years later…I traded for another, NIB Graupner Wulf. I want another shot at it!🤣

Knowing now the pitfalls of this kit, and the experience I’ve had building over the past 4 years, have led me to take the instructions as loose guidelines. The cabin gave me the most trouble, so I started with that.
I took my time building the main structure. It’s supposed to fold together then glued, in reality the fold lines are very fragile. I took my time, sanded to fit and it came out better. I’m using my Tamiya paints and primer, and I’m pleased so far with the results. I’ve added a working radar, but instead of using a mini servo to drive the antenna, I decided to go with an old Robbe geared motor that was designed to be used for special functions, and an Apex rc switch. This allows me to turn the radar on and off from the transmitter, and the geared motor drives it at a nice scale speed. Now, the Tauchers radar is mounted on a tube. To make this work I had to cut the antenna off the resin fitting, drill it down the centerline, and install a brass tube. The motor is mounted low in the center of the cabin, and a brass rod goes up thru the tube to which the antenna is fitted. I used a piece of Sullivan pushrod as a coupler from the rod to the motor. Works like a champ!! I also set the cabin up with working nav lights.
The pictures I have now show the radar with a slightly too long radar antenna, I shortened the side aerial to clear it, but I trimmed the radar today to clear and fitted a longer aerial as per the plans. I’ll have pics of that when I’m done making up and fitting the railings.
Cash

Hi y’all. I have got the cabin completed. To me this was one of the more difficult jobs of the build as it’s a different way of building, coupled with paint, sometimes sketchy parts fit, and the mods I made for radar and lights. However, I’m very pleased with the way it turned out. I shortened the radar antenna to clear a taller, more scale like aerial on the port side. I made up the vent pipe, installed the railings and side decals, I added the forward crest to a 2mm placard and installed that on the forward wall of the cabin just below the windows. Mast is detailed and done. The next time I post will be hull prep and internals.
Cash

Hi y’all. Got an update on the Taucher. I got the motor, electronics, rudder and deck installed.
I did the motor mount first. Now, the Taucher uses a neat motor mount/electronics mount which works nicely, but it does take up a bit too much room across the beam, and you have to modify it for mounting a brushless outrunner. I used a Zippkits 650 kv motor, which if I figured correctly should be fine for power, as the last boat used a 540 brushed with a 2.5 planetary gearbox.
I had no joy mounting the aft end of the tube. Last time I used a Caldercraft fineline tube, this time I used a standard diameter tube, same size as the kit provided unit but better quality-it’s a Harbor Models unit.long story short the exit for the tube is very narrow, and I made a good mess drilling it, damaging the hull in the process. I read in a build log that the tube reall needs to be about 6-8 mm higher, so I notched out the damaged area with my dremel, taped both sides and filled with epoxy from the inside. Oh, I had tacked the tube in place with a piece of balsa before. One the epoxy set I filled, sanded, then glassed over the repair and sanded again then primer. It looks better than I had hoped!!
Once I got the rudder mounted and the underdeck electronics done I made mounting rails for the wheelhouse. I then turned my attention to the deck. The original deck was an abysmal fit, and so is this one. However, I did much more jigging, fitting and sanding before I glued it in. Also, I built up the deck including the plastic upper deck, instead of trying to glue the plastic down after the wood bottom was in place. I also cut myself a larger, usable hatch. I took my time fitting it and it came out much better than before. I still have some gaps to fill, especially at the stern, but it’s better.
Once that was done I went inside and made a King Ranch casserole for dinner..😀
Cash

Hi y’all. Took 3 days off from work got a bit done today. First off, the deck is installed. I had to raise the stern end up a bit to the correct height, this made my gap at the stern smaller and easier to fill. It also gave me a bit more clearance for the rudder linkage, as it was just scraping a bit, and I cannot have that. It looks much better than the first boat, but I still need some touching up in places.
The Taucher has deck machinery and most of that comes from the fittings kit, plus cut plastic and brass rod. I made the hatch much larger (useable) and I set it up so that all the machinery will come off with the hatch as a unit. There’s a vertical boiler, or heater, that gets built up from a tube with a lower and upper end cap and a molded exhaust pipe. There’s also a second exhaust that’s in the fittings kit. The end caps and exhaust were missing from the bag, which was sealed. This was one of the last kits sold in the US before Graupner gave up on kit making, so who knows what happened. Anyway, I decided to make my own fittings with the tubes from the kit and some scrap tubing I had in my plastic stash, plus a Lego that looked the part. They’re not perfect, but they’ll look ok. Next thing will be to fit and build up the hatch and catwalk, and assemble the machinery and test fit.
Oh….I made a Tater Tot casserole for dinner😁
Cash

Hi y’all. I’ll keep this short. The on deck machinery is done, ladder and cat walk built up and everything attached to the hatch. If you look you can see a tube running from the hatch thru the catwalk. Once you pull the hatch the catwalk is not supported in any way. When the hatch is installed there are locating pins that socket into the pilot house. I just decided that, due to new crew comfort and safety regs, a vent has to be provided from below decks to fresh air🤣🤣 Anyway, that tube keeps the catwalk from possibly bending once the hatch is removed.
I have a few more things to do forward, then it’s ready for the paint shop.
Cash

So I spent today at my bench getting the hull ready for paint. I had one misadventure that I corrected, and thought I would stop at the upper hull paint, but the muse descended and I got it done. I need to touch up a couple of spots but I think she looks a sight better than the first boat. Anyway, now it’s time for ballast and balance check, and final details. She might, just might get wet this month!!
Cash

Hi y’all. I’ll keep this brief, as I need to get to sleep. I installed the front bumper housings and rubber pads a few days ago, then started on soldering up the railings. I wanted to get her in the water this weekend, but I know if I rush it I’ll make a mess of it, so…breathe deep and take my time!
I’ve got the aft railing made up and painted, and 2 of the 4 fwd railings soldered up. I bent the main rail and used tape to jig up the supports and cross rails to keep everything steady while I soldered…the desk I’m using was my daughters, but she’s outgrown it and she did a fair bit of craftwork on it so now it’s daddy’s soldering/detail/charging station. Once all the rails are done, I’ll paint the fittings, then do a ballast check and final assembly, plus fix any budges I find.
Cash

Hi y’all. The Taucher is almost ready for her maiden. I have a very few details to do, but once she’s ballasted I could splash her now. The pilot house is screwed down, the fenders are in place, rails up, etc, only real snafu I had were the lifesaver rails on the front rails..I had one that was a bit too small, broke of trying to install the life saver. I fiddled with that and also sanded down the ring, finally got tired of fooling with it and glued the lifesavers to the rails and then bent up an “L” bracket to be the “support”. Wasn’t even going to try to resolder as the rails are glued in, too close quarters.
I ballast checked her and did a leak test, she’s watertight and needs around 10-11 pounds ballast. I added 3 pounds permanently aft of the motor mount, under the stuffing box, the mid-forward ballast will be added pondside each running day..makes the boat easier to transport and store.
Cash

Maidened the Taucher this morning…except for knocking a fender loose during launch, the maiden was uneventful and exceeded my expectations. The 35mm 650kv Zippkits motor hauled the 15lb plus model around with authority, and would just get the hull overdriven as far as hull speed. Everything worked as advertised, and am more than pleased. She’s a keeper!!
Cash

Thank y’all for the kind words on my Taucher. This meant a lot to me, as I feel I’ve redeemed myself AND the boat. The first one gave me so much trouble I felt like I was throwing glue and parts at the hull hoping something would stick🤣
Now I have to build a launch/retrieval device, getting her in the water isn’t an issue as much as getting her out…
Be on the lookout in a month or so, my buddy Steve has my old Taucher. He’s fixing my..um.. transgressions and setting the old boat up like the new one. We’ll have 2 in the club fleet..
Again, thanks very much!!
Cash