Hobby stores selling pre-mixed paints?

Sounds like nonsense to me, and if true, nothing but a ripoff.  It's not difficult to thin your own paint to meet your specific needs.

I would think that they are talking about Vallejo model air paints.

Whoah, it certainly isn't nonsense. Some paints are formulated for airbrush use without thinning. Vallejo's model air is one example. Other's are Testor's Metalizers, Alclad II, Tru-color, and some AK Interactive, among others (like some artist's airbrush paints).

Your mileage may vary on the ratio. When I use them, I use them straight from the bottle. Some modelers like to add more thinner.

While thinning paint isn't difficult, I do find the pre-thinned paints quite convenient. For less experienced painters, they also allow for more consistency between painting sessions. I don't have to worry about mixing the right amount of thinner.

You can use your own judgment about their relative worth. But I don't think they are a ripoff.

Chris

You can definitely buy pre-thinned paints, and as Hypertex pointed out, Vallejo Model Air is one prominent brand on the market at the moment.

I thought another brand also did something similar (Polly Scale maybe??).

In all honesty though, i'm in the process of playing with Vallejo Model Air and for me, i still find it too thick out of the bottle. Indicatively, Vallejo sell an Airbrush Thinner for this line, so even though it's sold as "airbrush ready", even Vallejo themselves know not all modelers are the same and have provided a thinner for this line.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts on this.  As a beginner, I will experiment using one of these along with mixing my own just to see how it comes out!  Thanks again - love this site for great, FAST tips, ideas, opinions, etc!!

no, Polly Scale isn't pre-thinned (neither is Aeromaster Acrylic)

You might be thinking of MisterKit acrylic paint, it is supposed to be ready to airbrush right from the bottle,,,,,,but, it also comes in 1 oz bottles for about the same price as a 1/2 oz  bottle of other brands. MisterKit also has that same fine pigment difference as Model Air and LifeColor.

I don't remember if Aeromaster's second Acrylic paint line was thinner than Model Air or not,,,,,,,all the bottles of Color of Eagles I have are now thicker than Model Air (from age)

Rex