Thanks all of you!
I sheeted dry successfully using GP pro wood glue ( aliphatic resin) and beach sand filled ziplock quart size
freezer bags.
worked great, after sealing the bags and getting the air out. you can shape them to match the airfoil and they
won't move.
As for the engine, I wanted that irvine 72 that someone offered me here but I waited too long and it was sold.
just engines has it for ~ $200 plus shipping but I looked around their website and
found a J’EN .56
the .40 that thinks it’s a .60! for $ 111 incl shipping and ordered it.

http://www.justengines.unseen.org/Jen.htm

It's a 56 in a 40 case that puts out the same as the irvine ( 1.8 hp) and weighs 260 grams less.
runs on 5% nitro and weighs only 480 grams incl muffler so the total dry weight of the plane should be...uhm....light!
Yeah, that'll do it.
Pat