Am building the Mini Tarka...again. It is 30"span, midwing, a Dave Boddington design (Britain), weighs one pound and has about 300 watts going through it. Built it many years ago and lost it three years ago in the balsa patch of the TEMAC farmer's field.
It tracks incredibly well, easy to launch, not twitchy at all, reaches terminal velocity going straight up and is easy to land. Oh, yes. It has poor man's retracts (no wheels). In other words, a nice relaxing Sunday Flier. I bet you it is as fast as a Nooner but you're never chasing it around the sky.
Project status: Finished building, motor installed. Next steps: covering and radio installation.
Frank