It has 'been around' for a long time IIRC at least 10 years. It's rare because there is only one - so it has not been a roaring commercial success.
Certainly the choice of pusher props for unmade strips is either inspired, brave or needs God on your side. My only experience is with much lighter pushers - microlights - but they are very prone to prop damage from the debris their undercarriage disturbs.
So maybe there is something about the wing being on backwards - and also losing the energised air flow across the wing.