I've been airbrushing since 1967 when I hired on with Battelle Labs as a Sr. Graphics and Technical Illustrator. I've never had problems with siphon airbrushes, double-action airbrushes, but I've used Paasche brushes almost exclusively for 49 years.
However, all airbrushes require care in their use and are sometimes temperamental little machines.
For general, large coverage use, but with the ability to shoot a fairly fine line and control of the amount of paint being output, IMO it's hard to beat the Paasche "VL", and you can interchange multiheads and needles on the same brush with three multiheads from fine (1) though coarse (3). They also take different size and style cups and bottles. This brush will shoot lacquer, enamel, acrylic, water and alcohol based paints and inks, for both model and fine art use.
One nice thing about them is that they're readily available at most art/hobby stores and are relatively inexpensive.
For finer work, the smaller "V" is just a smaller, more precise version of the "VL" and will shoot enamel, acrylic, alcohol and water based paints and inks, but less at a time.
The Paasche airbrush I use exclusively for weathering and fine artwork is their now-discontinued, turbine-driven, external-mix "AB", which was their flagship fine art/retouching airbrush until a decade ago or so. It sounds like a dentist's drill when using it, but it will shoot (literally) a hairline of paint to a swath about 1/2" wide, with fine control of flow, air and turbine speed.
When I worked as part of my "technical illustrator" duties in the industrial model shops of both Battelle Labs, and Thiokol (who designed and built Shuttle Rocket Boosters and the first airbag inflators as well as other tactical, solid fuel rockets and propellants), Paasche airbrushes were just what was used because of their reliability, reputation, customer service, easy accessibility and consistent quality.
I understand that Iwata makes some really great airbrushes, but I have never felt any need whatsoever to stray from my three mainstay airbrushes, the Paasche "V", "VL" and "AB".
Photo (1) - Here's a shot of some of my airbrushes which I use on a regular basis...
Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore
