Technique for securing "open" hatches during painting

Always amazes me the ways so many attack a simple problem all differently.  And all as effective as the others.

For me my SOP is a cube of foam rubber pushed all the way in the open hatch then gently pulled out until it stays in place.  Or, maybe because of my mood that day... A Posit-It rolled up and the tube shoved on the hole with the foam cube stuff down the tube to seal and hold in place.

I like that one about putting the tape from the inside before closing it up and sticking the hatch on  the outside for the exterior camo.  My SOP has been updated

My SOP for this is to stick a masking tape (Tamiya) from the inside . This will cover the open hatch with the sticky side of the tape and then I press the hatch to it. After painting, I remove the hatch and pull out the tape. No paint inside, no white glue to remove. I also do this to paint around the open hatch, replacing the tape to stick the hatch.

SgtRam, I would usually use simple toilet paper.
I wet it and push it into the area that needs to be covered.
If the areas has fine detail that might get caught by the paper and ripped of I do it Rob's way.

The Humber is a devil, so much detail, so many visual points.
The plan is to only have the drivers lid and the commanders hatch open, that way I can close the box and only do some touch up work on the drivers vizier and use the main door to pull out the paper,

I am very much looking forward to your progress pictures J

As always
Boarder

I plan ahead . Before i attach the upper hull  i apply the masking tape to the underside of the hatch openings . Then coninue building and painting . When its all finished i push the tape down and pull it out with tweezers.

I take some masking tape and press it against the inside lip of the hatch opening.  Once I encircle the opening (sticky side out), creating a "chimney", I stuff the inside with some tissue. This ensures that no overspray can seep past the hatch lip.

SgtRam,

Good tip!

I would be afraid of paint finding a opening in the hatch seal. In the past I simply have left the hatch lids off and plugged the holes with blue poster putty.