Remember well some of the Mildenhall displays - plenty of noisy afterburner stuff going on there - perhaps someone can remind me but did I remember a Blackbird putting on a display there once?

oh yes.. more than once I think!

Me being hypocritcal now, inrespect of my last post. Several SR71 displays, including one where the pilot tried to light the afterburners whilst in a fairly high 'g' turn. The fuel did not immediately ignite, but did shortly afterwards, contributing to what were regarded as the best 'photos of the Blackbird ever, with two very large fireballs pursueing the aircraft, but I am sure someone on here will post the pictures. I have it on video,

Well done PT:):)

They certainly arent getting any tamer in portugal!

YouTube - TAP Airbus A310 Low pass turn Portugal Airshow 2007, Evora

I packed in going after the '86 Mildenhall show, I seem to recall the Blackbird and I think it was the last gathering of Lightnings before they were all retired, that was (both) some sight and sound.
Unfortunately it was marred by the tragic accident of the Vintage pair, I was sick to my stomach after I saw what happened, especially as Sqdn Leader Dave Marchant had organised an hours flight for me and another chap in a J.P. from Leeming a few months earlier when we were on a course, he was a bit luckier as he managed to eject and survive as did his passenger.
Now adays the entrance cost puts me off, as does all the queing.

86 Mildenhall. As you say, marred by the accident, the 2nd of eleven I subsequently saw, but not a gathering of Lightnings. It was a Strike Force demo of a Lightning, Phantom and a Hawk, so only one Lightning. I thought it would be the last sight of a Lightning for me in the air, but I was on the beach in South Africa, near Hermanus, in 2005, heard a noise, looked up to see the Boscombe Down Buccaneer, Lightning F.6, and a yellow s'seat Hunter in close formation at 500 feet. Sometimes there is a God!!![no offence to anybody].:)Went to Thunder City after that, of course!

That's it - would have been 86 Mildenhall show - they were cracking days out, used to go with my Dad...cold Bud & hot dogs - those were the days!

Bournmouth is getting better each year as it attracts more visitors.
And it's free!
Bournemouth Air Festival - Bournemouth Air Show/Display

Airshows don't have to be dull or dangerous. You just need to add some thought into getting interesting acts. Take a look at the line up for Jersey. Jersey International Air Display - Rumours and News Mike Higgins and his team put real effort into making it as interesting as they can.

Don't the Arrows normally arrive in on a 45 to the datum these days? It's a long time since I saw a crowd rear arrival from them...

Well, they did rear arrivals at Bournemouth and Swanage last year but 45 from the front at the private display near Lymington. Probably depends on combinations of terrain and airspace restrictions.