I know there are hundreds of posts about airbrushes and the like...

Why not Badger airbrushes? I wouldn't own any other brand and I have had many.

Justin

Get the brush that you feel comfortable with  in both size/grip and $$.

Then practice with it, old plastic water/milk gallon jugs work.

Then after you are almost comfortable with:

1.  the paint/thinner mixing mastery's;
2.  with the amount of air coming out ( make sure you have a pressure gage on your compressor).

Just go over to your model and paint the darn thing, if you don't like it  earthier strip the paint or spray it over, regardless, it will all be learning and thats a good thing.

As to which brush to buy I wont venture to confuse you with my opinion ...............

HA!..........Yes I will !  Grex

 

I would stay away from the side feed as a first airbrush. Gravity feeders are easier to clean and maintain.

The Grex XG is a very nice airbrush, as is the Revolution. The XG is better for detail work, but the Revolution CR is probably less demanding. With its large nozzle, it sprays almost anything.

I have an Iwata hpcs and a grex tritium ts3 (trigger style side feed) and both are great. Having some issues with my hp cs right now tho but I think I can fix it with a few adjustments. I personally feel the hpcs is a better value than the cr. Now if you can get used to the trigger style give grex tritium line a try. It's pricier ($200) but the features and performance is fantastic. And honestly you could save money by getting a cheaper compressor. I own a cheap Chinese made air depot tc-20t ($75) and a sparmax tc-2000 ($225). I like the features on the sparmax (separate line to the regulator allowing you to move the regulator away from the compressor) but the performance is the same to me. I suppose theoretically the sparmax is more durable because there is two pistons and manufactured by the same plant that makes Iwata compressors but I've used the tc20t for a year and I haven't had a problem. Yes it gets hot with extended use but that's true with pretty much every compressor. And honestly I feel like the tc-20t is a little quieter than the sparmax. Take your pick but even if the tc20t gives out 2 years in, it still only costs $75. With compressors more money means more durable (supposedly) and quieter. Performance isn't going to fluctuate very much.

Wish you the best of luck in your decision just remember that model kit painting is both a hobby and an art. No matter what tool you have you can still get great results. It's a matter of knowledge on how to use the tools. Don't sweat so much on this just go with your gut and you can't go wrong. One good thing about now and 20 years ago is that the selection of quality products have grown and there are a lot less duds.

Seems most prefer the old style DA over the newer pistol action, and I can see why.  Having to use your entire hand would get tiring during marathon paint sessions.  I do like that the Grex AC has a pressure regulator instead of having to open the bleed valve like on the Iwata compressor.  Then again the AB and compressor don't necessarily need to be brand matched I suppose.

CR

Buy the CR and rock on.

go gravity double action trigger if you can, you can spray with just a few drops of paint if needed and the double action allows greater control over how much paint comes out. most but not all brushes will have ptfe needle packing but make sure you get one that does or you wont be able to use lacquer paint. avoid cheap 20 quid models like the plague. i have one and its awful. i now use a badger and my lovely lovely iwata. 

try and get a compressor with a tank as it evens out the air supply and you wont get annoying pulses of air.  and get that moisture trap too. mine is a cheap as chips one of ebay and it does the job,  just, dont know how long it will last though.

Welcome back Justin. Bearcat57 is probably right that you'll get lots of suggestions so I'll offer my . I have the Iwata Revolution CR and a Grex Genesis XG (and a couple others). Either will do fine but my choice would be the Grex. Insofar as compressors, the Sprint Jet has a bleed regulator so will run continuously when you adjust pressure; the Grex has a proper regulator and will run only when you depress the AB trigger - my choice would be the Grex but be aware I have neither (I use a SparMax or Badger TC910)). This being said, I think choice among quality airbrushes is really very personal - the one that 'feels' best to you is the best one whether Iwata, Grex, Harder & Steenbeck, Badger or Paasche etc. There are some differences in price/availability of replacement parts but with quality brands I think not enough difference to select one over another.

welcome back to the hobby, Justin. All I will say is prepare for an a virtual avalanche of suggestions which will inevitably end up leaving your head spinning! Just remember, it's all opinion and as the saying goes "your mileage may vary" - so whatever you choose, just enjoy the ride. You can always change up later....... but I'd definitely start out with a gravity-fed, double action airbrush. Don't let anyone tell you they're much more difficult to master than a single action, because they're really not.

Have fun!