A spray nozzle assembly comprising: a nozzle body having a liquid flow passage for connection to a pressurized liquid supply and for directing liquid through said nozzle body for discharge from said spray nozzle assembly; said nozzle body having at least one air passage for connection to a pressurized air supply; an air cap mounted on a discharge end of said nozzle body; said air cap having a central opening through which liquid directed through said nozzle body passes for discharge from said spray nozzle assembly along a central flow axis of said air cap opening, said air cap having a first plurality of circumferentially spaced air direction passages about said central opening communicating with said at least one nozzle body air passage; a spray tip disposed at a downstream end of said nozzle body communicating with said liquid flow passage and having a reduced diameter forwardly extending nose portion positioned within the central opening for accelerating the liquid flow stream discharging from a discharge orifice of the nose portion; said plurality of circumferentially spaced air direction passages being oriented at a compound angle to the central flow axis of said air cap central opening _for directing pressurized air flow streams that interact with liquid discharging from said spray tip for atomizing the discharging liquid flow stream while imparting a tangential direction to the atomized liquid that enhances atomization and imparts a swirling movement to the discharging liquid into an expanding conical spray pattern with liquid particles distributed throughout the spray pattern, characterized by: said air cap being formed with a central recess in a downstream end of the air cap through which said central opening extends; and said plurality of circumferentially spaced air direction passages communicate between said at least one nozzle body air passage and through and into said central recess for directing pressurised air flow steams into said central recess that interact with liquid discharging from the spray tip discharge orifice for atomizing the discharging liquid flow stream. a nozzle body having a liquid flow passage for connection to a pressurized liquid supply and for directing liquid through said nozzle body for discharge from said spray nozzle assembly; said nozzle body having at least one air passage for connection to a pressurized air supply; an air cap mounted on a discharge end of said nozzle body; said air cap having a central opening through which liquid directed through said nozzle body passes for discharge from said spray nozzle assembly along a central flow axis of said air cap opening, said air cap having a first plurality of circumferentially spaced air direction passages about said central opening communicating with said at least one nozzle body air passage; a spray tip disposed at a downstream end of said nozzle body communicating with said liquid flow passage and having a reduced diameter forwardly extending nose portion positioned within the central opening for accelerating the liquid flow stream discharging from a discharge orifice of the nose portion; said plurality of circumferentially spaced air direction passages being oriented at a compound angle to the central flow axis of said air cap central opening _for directing pressurized air flow streams that interact with liquid discharging from said spray tip for atomizing the discharging liquid flow stream while imparting a tangential direction to the atomized liquid that enhances atomization and imparts a swirling movement to the discharging liquid into an expanding conical spray pattern with liquid particles distributed throughout the spray pattern, characterized by: said air cap being formed with a central recess in a downstream end of the air cap through which said central opening extends; and said plurality of circumferentially spaced air direction passages communicate between said at least one nozzle body air passage and through and into said central recess for directing pressurised air flow steams into said central recess that interact with liquid discharging from the spray tip discharge orifice for atomizing the discharging liquid flow stream. said air cap being formed with a central recess in a downstream end of the air cap through which said central opening extends; and said plurality of circumferentially spaced air direction passages communicate between said at least one nozzle body air passage and through and into said central recess for directing pressurised air flow steams into said central recess that interact with liquid discharging from the spray tip discharge orifice for atomizing the discharging liquid flow stream.