I just figured out a useful method for masking airliner windows from the inside. I am working on a 1/100 scale 747 and have added a custom interior. I wanted to mask the windows from the inside prior to sealing the halves and painting the exterior.
I simply took a good, strong thread and doubled it, forming a loop at one end to which I secured a 12" length of Tamiya 6mm tape (adjust the length of tape to suit your particular need). I further secured the thread to the tape with a small amount of super glue.
Once the glue was dry, I applied the tape to the inside of each fuselage half, covering the windows, and ran the thread back through the open slots for the rear horizontal stabilizers. Then I glued the fuselage halves together.
After the paint has dried, slowly and steadily pull the thread through the open slot. This will cause the tape to pull off rearward and out of the stabilizer slot. Now, any type of window maker can be applied. I call this the “ship in the bottle” method of masking.
A word of caution: Perform several dry runs before sealing the halves to make sure the method performs as described. For instance, if your knot is not up to par, you will end up with just a long piece of thread in your hand and a sinking feeling you will not forget! Done right, it’s a home run!
Tip submitted by:
Brian Yerich
Stamford, N.Y.