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Estes - Mini Marz Lander (1826) [1998-2002]

Manufacturer:Estes

Contributed by Chris Taylor Jr.

(Contributed - by Chris Taylor)

[Rocket Pic]This is a mini-RTF (13mm) powered rocket based on the old Mars Lander from Estes.  It does have the movable legs like the old landers did as well.

As this is a RTF model there is nothing to build.  You could paint it and get decals off the net to make it look like the old landers, however, as it exists there is really nothing to finish.

The rocket flies nice and straight.  A10's are a MUST!  I would guess altitude was under 200 feet.

One flaw I noticed deals with the parachute.  There is very little space inside this rocket if you don't count the space in the nose cone.  On my first two launches the parachute got stuffed up inside the nose cone at ejection and never deployed.  I solved this by filling the nose cone with loose wadding to keep the parachute out.

Otherwise flights were nice, low altitude, and relatively slow.

Summary: I love the design and the size (I like mini rockets). I like the fact that the legs are movable since this adds to the "cute" factor.

I don't like the parachute problem and it could be easily solved with a long shock cord so that the 'chute would be pulled out by the shock cord as it ejected. But this is a major flaw in most Estes rockets . . . short shock cords. (Tie the parachute at the very base of the shock cord and wrap the shroud line relatively tight so that the 'chute is yanked out of the nose cone.  Don't worry about the tight wrapping or the 'chute because the rocket is relatively heavy and will open the 'chute quite easily.)

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

    Flight Log

    DateRocket NameMotor(s)AltitudeNotes
    2000-03-05Robert Geer's Estes Mini Marz LanderC6-7- Fast Straight Boost, loud too! Chute opened a little after apogee, landed about 40 feet from th e...
    2000-03-25Robert Geer's Estes Mini Marz LanderC6-7- Another great flight, I get a real kick out of the crowds reaction. Worth the $7!
    2000-04-02Robert Geer's Estes Mini Marz LanderC6-7- Good boost, late ejection with the chute in a wad, no damage. I'll use C6-5 next time.
    2000-04-15Ben Snider's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- rocket went up pretty strait to about 120 Ft. tes the ejection was 1-2 seconds past apogee and...
    2000-07-19Casey Smith's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Great little flier for the money. It barely makes it over the tree in the front yard. This kit is...
    2000-09-02Robert Geer's Estes Mini Marz LanderC6-7- Another great flight, landed real close to the pad due to the fact that the chute finally opened...
    2000-11-04Dick Stafford's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- The Lander is the 2nd stage/nosecone for a 29mm rocket. On this flight, I tried to stage a F20 to...
    2000-12-30Casey Smith's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Another good flight, maybe 80 feet high, great fun
    2000-12-31Casey Smith's Estes Mini Marz Lander1/4A3-2- One of the kids in the club wanted to fly it, I had no idea he would put this little motor in it....
    2001-01-07Casey Smith's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Finally, a nice day here, and a nice boost here in the rocket barn back yard. The dogs love to...
    2001-02-10Donald Besaw's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-4- Crashed nose down into concrete from 150 feet. Total loss.
    2001-03-10Casey Smith's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Good flight just before I leave for a new high power field. It will be a good day.
    2001-03-24Donald Besaw's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Exploded on the pad.
    2001-03-30Casey Smith's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Great boost, went straight up. How long will the shock cord last?
    2001-04-18Casey Smith's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Great little flight, it stopped dead in the air with the wind. Good deploy, short walk, no damage.
    2001-04-24Donald Besaw's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Finally a good flight for a change. It was nice to do without a CATO or crash. These two events...
    2001-05-05Casey Smith's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Great boost up into the wind, the chute actually deployed, melted part of the chute, will put a...
    2001-06-09Dick Stafford's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- OK flight, burned thru the shroud lines, soft landing on soft grass
    2001-11-03Grant Gibson's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-4- Brilliant maiden flight, went up to about 300ft and the parachute ejected and opened perfectly....
    2001-12-15Grant Gibson's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-4- Again a superb flight, with the 'chute making a perefect recovery.
    2002-01-18Grant Gibson's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-4- Due to the high winds, the rocket took off and then started to go horizontal about 100 ft up then...
    2002-02-09Donald Besaw's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Nice flight. Landed, bounced, and landed back upright. No damage.
    2002-05-29EMRR's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-4- Much better this time, but still the parachute did not come out of the nose cone.
    2002-06-03Bill Eichelberger's Estes Mini Marz Lander1/2A3-2- Not a bad little rocket, but things get pretty cramped in the nose cone when the chute and wadding...
    2002-06-03Bill Eichelberger's Estes Mini Marz Lander1/2A3-2- Not a bad little rocket, but it gets mighty cramped in that nose when you pack it.
    2002-06-06EMRR's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-4- Went great, nice and straight up. Turned over, eject popped, nose cone stayed on, thump! Damaged...
    2002-07-14Bill Eichelberger's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Another kid favorite. Recovered closest to the pad.
    2002-07-18Bill Eichelberger's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Shock cord is almost burned through. I'll replace it with a length of Kevlar. Great flight. One of...
    2002-09-01Bill Eichelberger's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3-
    2002-10-02John Rowan-Stern's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-4- Lawn dart. Need I say more? 4 seconds for ejection seems long. Will try again with rod straight up.
    2002-10-09John Rowan-Stern's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-4- I'll say jection happened late...like when it was stuck upside down in the dirt. This rocket will...
    2002-10-31Rod Thrasher's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- And another great flight.
    2003-01-05Donald Besaw's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Nice flight. Chute got fused together at ejection, came in fast but no damage.
    2003-02-01Michael Simpson's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3-
    2003-04-12Jason Vennard's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Adequate at best on the boost, ok flight. Chute didn't open but landed without damage. 12 plastic...
    2003-04-26Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-2- Model went unstable as it cleared the rod.
    2003-05-01Rod Thrasher's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Great flight.
    2003-05-27Jason Vennard's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Surprised by a near perfect flight, low altitude but everything was right on time, fairly straight...
    2003-09-01Donald Besaw's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Nice flight. I wrapped the chute in wadding which seemed to work well, I didn't notice any...
    2003-09-07Rod Thrasher's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- 'chute did not open.
    2003-11-15Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-2- Broke the shock cord, but no damage.
    2003-12-13Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-2- Parachute never deployed. Model recovered OK.
    2004-02-14Donald Besaw's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Wind test, nice flight. A little late on the ejection due to launch rod angle but otherwise OK. No...
    2004-02-21Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-2- Changed parachute attachment point so that parachute would deploy. Looks like it worked.
    2004-02-26Rod Thrasher's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- 'chute did not open. It keeps getting stuck in the nose.
    2004-03-20Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-2- Good flight.
    2004-05-11Rod Thrasher's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Great flight.
    2005-01-15Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-2- Chute didn't deploy, but recovered without damage.
    2005-04-16Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-2- Great flight. Last of the A3-2T's, though.
    2006-05-26Matt Gillard's Estes Mini Marz LanderA3-4- straight up, four second delay too long, landed hard due to parachute not deploying.
    2006-06-03Matt Gillard's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- straight up and down, poor packing of parachute caused the parachute to fry, shock cord badly...
    2006-06-08Matt Gillard's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- parachute failed to deploy. hard landing, no damage
    2006-07-01Matt Gillard's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- ouch! hard landing, no damage
    2006-07-08Dick Stafford's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Nice flight.
    2007-04-01Matt Gillard's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- practically hit the ground before parachute deployed - no damage
    2007-04-02Matt Gillard's Estes Mini Marz LanderB6-0/1/2A3-4- chad staged, first attempt, excellent flight, very stable, wrong choice of sustainer, thoughti had...
    2007-04-02Matt Gillard's Estes Mini Marz LanderC6-0/A3-4- Extra mass of a C motor lowered CG to low, rocket went unstable finding the ground quickly, quite...
    2007-06-09Geoffrey Kerbel's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3150 feet WOW! Straight up and chute came out! Came down about 50' from pad. Great flight for once.
    2007-07-22Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Didn't get the chute deployed. No damage to vehicle.
    2007-11-18Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Great flight.
    2009-04-19Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Good flight.
    2010-04-17Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3- Good flight
    2011-02-20Bob Bernatchez's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3T- Wish they made a 2 second delay
    2011-08-07Dick Stafford's Estes Mini Marz LanderA10-3-

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