Set of Models

Duh.

Glue

The brand you want is Revell Contacta. I'm not sure if U.S hobbyists stock it, but Revell are a well known kit manufacturer so I have to assume that it's available in the US. You can get 12g or 25g bottles with a long needle applicator. So long as you're precise with you application, one bottle should last a long while. You should also pick up a small pot of superglue to use with any resin parts. There are loads of bits merchants on Ebay that sell FW parts and at some point you're going to want some of that shiny resin crack - but you can't use standard plastic glue like the Contacta stuff - you're going to need superglue for that.

Nail/Emery Boards

There is nothing worse than assembling your model and priming it, only to find mold lines an unsightly blemishes - so get into the habit of sanding them off prior to priming them. It only takes a moment and improves your finished model immeasurably. Don't be fooled by GW's special sanding boards - your standard manicure nail boards will work just as well at a fraction of the cost.

Scalpel

X-acto is a popular brand in the U.S as you can switch out the blades for a variety of types and they are widely available. Scalpels are handy for scraping mold lines off, cutting away unwanted detail and removing small parts from sprues.

Can of Primer

As you're from the U.S, I'd advise Krylon or Rustoleum primers. Essentially, GW's primer is exactly the same, but in a re-branded can. Obviously I'm from the UK, which has different brands and ingredients, but most car primers also work on plastic models - just spray a piece of sprue first if you've not used the brand first so you don't ruin your model. Similarly, never use a 'filling' primer if you can get a non-filling primer. The filling primers are intended to level out all the little nicks and chips in a car's bodywork - but they'll also fill up all your model's detail.

Clippers

Go to a DIY/Hardware shop and get a pair of sidecutters. GW's look nice, but do exactly the same job as cheaper electricians cutters.

A good set of Paintbrushes.

My first set of paintbrushes were GW's Citadel brushes and they were... good. Yup, they lasted me a while and (aside from my lack of skill) performed well enough. GW have since re-vamped their paintbrush line, so I can't attest to the current quality, but I won't dissuade you from GW's brushes - they're a good intro set. However, my ultimate advice would be, if you can afford it, to jump straight into the deep end and get a set of Kolinsky Sable brushes. I personally favour Winsor & Newton, but many U.S painters seem to like Rosemary & Co brushes. Kolinsky brushes are far superior to GW's by virtue of the fact that they are natural Kolinsky Weasel hair and not a synthetic blend. As such they hold their shape much better and retain their point. That said, a word of warning - Kolinsky brushes are much less tolerant of being abused. If you intend to buy Kolinsky Sable brushes, you must ensure you clean your brush regularly and thoroughly - by that I mean swirl it around every so often whilst painting to prevent paint build-up and ALWAYS clean it out after EVERY painting session. If you do that and you don't scrunch the brush up or rive it around, it will last you quite some time. Abuse it and you'll be forking out for another expensive brush in no time at all. You have been warned.

Paint

Not much to say here. Everybody has their favourite, some people mix and match. I tend to use Citadel because it's widely available, there is a good range and because it's a long established range there are many tutorials out there using Citadel paints. works for me, but there are other ranges such as Vallejo, reaper, P3 etc.

Masters Brush Soap

This, along with clean water is all you'll ever need to keep your brushes in good order. Get a pot, and follow the instructions on the rear - simple.

Flow Improver.

This stuff comes under a variety of names, Flo-Aid, Flow Improver, Retarder etc. Essentially all it does is it reduces the surface tension of the water in your paint so that the paint flows across the surface of your model better. This stuff will improve your painting no end. I use Winsor & Newton's Flow Improver, but Liquitex is a popular brand in the U.S. Essentially, you'll want to mix 2ml of Flow Improver and 18ml of Water into a 20ml dropper bottle - or any quantity at a ration of 1:9, Flow Improver to Water.

20ml Dropper Bottle

For the above purpose - you can find them on Ebay or some manufacturers such as Vallejo or Reaper sell empty ones.

Disposable Plastic Pippettes

To help you measure out the Flow Improver so you get the right mix.