Air Brushes

The only thing I can offer Paul is from the research I did, buying the best quality gun/brush and compressor you can afford are very important. You don't have to go top end, but having a compressor that can keep up on a large job and a brush that doesn't clog easily were keys. That said, my equipment sits dormant. The tractor shed I was going to use as a combination woodshop and paint booth is now occupied by all things, a tractor. I need to do some garage/shop rearranging so I can paint without worry about overspray landing on cars or models.  

Happy to look up the brands I bought for you if desired.

Indeed a delicate question! I guess any modeller has his own recommendations and preferences, so I can only say what I use. I agree with Jerry, that no tremendous amounts are necessary for good results. In a DIY book I read the helpful passage, that the abilities of the user are decisive, not the equipment.

I use a Harder & Steenbeck Infinity airbrush. "Infinity" is a wide range, but mainly mid-class, around 150 Euros, and all are double-action airbrushes which is really helpful. That means with pressing the button, you manage the amount of paint, and with pulling the button you manage the amount of air you need. So you can easily adjust the airbrush to your actual requirements. To choose a "better" airbrush is recommendable for buying different nozzles (I normally use 0.6mm for model cars) and spare parts. Cheap airbrushes cannot be serviced! (Buying cheap is buying twice, as we say in Germany!)

Very important is the compressor machine: Always use one with "reservoir"! It's a little bit more expensive (in Germany around 250 Euros), but those smaller ones without reservoir steadily pump the air with the effect that your airbrush is permanently spitting and fizzling - and ruining your models!

And make your decision whether you like to use water-based acrylic paints or solvent-based enamel paints! Most of the smaller airbrushes are for acrylic paints only because the sealings do not resist solvents. I expressively chose one for solvent-based paint as I only use enamel paints, which - in my opinion - deliver far better results.

Furthermore I use a suction system for airbrushes. Cannot say if it really eliminates very much of the spray fog, but at least it concentrates the mist a little bit. I do not use the expensive filter meshes, but only normal kitchen paper which can be disposed and renewed each time. The housing of the system I always cover with aluminium foil to prevent the device from getting painted again and again.

That's what I use, keep us informed about your choices :-)