Made a solid start. Test fitted all the hull parts and decided to begin gluing the transom (check me out with my nautical terminology - its the flat end not the pointy end ) to the hull sides where the fit was really snug.

Gluing the pointy ends together was next and once that had dried I fitted and glued the rear of the deck. Again a really nice fit.

A bit of sanding round the front of the deck and it popped right in too although the fit wasn't 100% and pulled the prow apart a tiny bit. No worries, a bit of filler and it's a good job.
The Keel was attached and we've got something that might float!

Thanks Brian.
I have to say i gave it a bit of thought before starting and it seemed to me to be key that the three parts making the middle section needed to be joined first. The idea was that the visible joins would be glued as snugly as possible and would give enough flex to allow the "top" and "bottom" to be gently forced into place .
Had I started glueing the sides to the hull one at a time i think gaps would have been much more of a problem.

My major headache right now (and maybe something other boatbuilders can help with?) is masking the hull.
Trying to achieve a straight line along a hull curving away from the line which also has a step in it is tricky enough. Trying to then match the same curve a few millimetres apart for the white strip seems fiddly beyond belief.

the simplest solution IMO is to prime the whole hull white, let it dry really well, then find the right size line tape and just tape off the white line. Then when you shoot the top, put a strip of bigger tape or sticky notes on the line, and do the reverse for the bottom.

Hello fellow modelers, now, here is my entry. I will do the KV-107II-5 Shirasagi, formerly known as Boeing Vertol.

Lots of waiting around while paint dries. I see the attraction of having a second kit on the bench

Sadly, my kit didnt get alot further along than this... as I broke some critical parts...