Hey tfrazzell,
Welcome to the forums. I remember doing that as a kid. I even built an M80 firecracker into an airplane model fuselage just for that purpose. I also enjoy it more these days, but there are times when I would like to blow up a model or two. There are a lot of great tips to be found here. The people here very helpful, so don't hesitate to ask questions. Most of all, just have fun.
Shaggy