Hi Fred
Welcome aboard! 
The Hayate will be perfect for the build - it’s totally OK to bring a kit that you’ve already started to the table. This build is all about having fun and celebrating modelling in tribute to Steffen who did so much to support our hobby.
I can see you’ve already found the official build thread, but I’ll post the link anyway for anyone else who’d like to join in. 
All the best
Rowan