Thanks for the tips guy's.

Sounds like a good quality 3M tape with the listed prep methods will do the trick.
I've got a little hs50 to operate the throttle.

I was also wondering why the vertical and horizontal stabs are of built-up construction, while the rudder and elevator are just solid slabs of balsa? Might this be for strength, or is this common practice?

I'd like to just mirror the design of the stabs for these, if there's no particular reason for solid pieces, other than simplicity. (to remove a little important tail weight.)