Day landings. By December 1944, all flying had ceased, and being a grassed airfield, which were surplus to requirements, Detling was placed on a care and maintenance basis from 1 January 1945. Fears of Nazi fanatics not abiding by a surrender, led to the RAF Regiment setting up a disarmament school, teaching students about booby-trapped buildings and dealing with German prisoners. RAF gliding schools use the site after the war, with the Air Training Corps gliders using the airfield alongside civilian gliding clubs. However, these all had to leave when the RAF disposed of the site back to its original owners who were not interested in running it as a gliding site, eventually closing in 1959. The site of the airfield is now home to the annual Kent County Show, which takes place for three days every July, and a number of other shows and events. Notable personnel Ronald Cuthbert Hay – Served with No. 801 Squadron NAS in 1940 at the base. Daphne Pearson – Pearson was billeted at Detling in 1940 when she was awarded a George Cross for an act of bravery in rescuing a pilot from a burning aircraft which had crashed on the airfield. Pearson had just go him to safety when the bombs on board exploded. Initially awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal, this was changed to the George Cross later. Operational units and aircraft First World War No. 50 Squadron RFC Detachment (1916) – Vickers ES 1 No. 112 Squadron RFC (1917) – Vickers ES 1 No. 143 Squadron RFC/RAF (1918-1919) – Armstrong Whitworth FK.8, Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5A, Sopwith Camel & Sopwith Snipe Inter war period and Second World War No. 500 Squadron RAF (1938-1939) – Hawker Hind, Avro Anson I No. 48 Squadron RAF Detachment (1939) – Avro Anson I – provided support to 500 Squadron No. 4 Squadron RAF Detachment (1940) – Westland Lysander II No. 53 Squadron RAF (1940) – Bristol Blenheim IV No. 235 Squadron RAF (1940) – Bristol Blenheim 1F 806 Naval Air Squadron's Detachment No. 9 between 7 and 31 May 1940 with the Skua II 825 Naval Air Squadron initially between 18 and 28 May 1940 then again between 1 and 5 July 1940 with the Swordfish I 819 Naval Air Squadron's Detachment No. 6 between 21 and 23 May 1940 with the Swordfish I 815 Naval Air Squadron between 27 May and 2 June 1940