How do I mask open doorways on helicopters

I trty to mask from the inside on situations like this- I haven't built a helo in a while.

If you can get it applied before gluing the halves together, all the better.

I cut note cards to fit in the openings, cut them a hair oversize so they bulge a little to help get them out after painting.

I also use tissue fill a lot.  However, I sometimes cut a piece of masking tape just bigger than the door, and apply to the inside of a door opening.  This does require painting the interior of that fuselage side prior to gluing the fuselage halves together, but the seams on top and floor are frequently not that visible after fuselage is closed up. If they will be visible then I resort to the tissue trick.

I use cut up make up sponges for open tank and AFV hatches,should work for copters also.

Good suggestions from Pawel and Goldhammer, they work well. As another thought, I sometimes use cotton balls stuffed in until the space is filled, put in a few bits of tissue or paper towel, then with eyedropper or pipette place a few drops of water on the outer paper layer.

That will compress the tissue and give it body, which will then keep the cotton balls well in place. When painting is finished the entire filler material is removed easily, no damage to interior bits.

Patrick

Hello!

Stuffing it with a lump made out of tissue would also work. That's what I do in such cases. Hope it helps - good luck and have a nice day

Paweł

If you don't have anything really fragile in the doorway, I take some soft foam and cut a piece just a tic oversize for the opening and gently fit it in the hole.  This is what I do for gear bays and engine nacelles, and works nice and leaves a soft edge.

If you need to use tape, use small pieces and attach to the inside edge, sticky side out.  Then you can fill in the opening by placing more pieces sticky side to sticky side, using tweezers or toothpicks to hold the edge pieces out to stick to until you get it filled in.