RAF Detling

RAF Detling was a station of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) in World War I and the Royal Air Force (RAF) in World War II. Situated 600 feet above sea level, it is located near Detling, a village about three miles north-east of Maidstone, in Kent.

RNAS Detling was used jointly by the Navy and Air Force between 1916 and 1919, and Fleet Air Arm aircraft also shared some facilities during the second World War. RAF Detling opened in 1939, was assigned to No 11 Group and closed 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.

Operational units and aircraft

• No. 1 Squadron RAF (1944) - Supermarine Spitfire IXB
• No. 4 Squadron RAF Detachment (1940) - Westland Lysander II
• No. 13 Squadron RAF Detachment (1941) - Bristol Blenheim IV
• No. 26 Squadron RAF (1941) - Curtiss Tomahawk II
• No. 26 Squadron RAF (1943) - North American Mustang II
• No. 48 Squadron RAF Detachment (1939) - Avro Anson I
• No. 50 Squadron RFC Detachment (1916) - Vickers ES 1
• No. 53 Squadron RAF (1940) - Bristol Blenheim IV
• No. 59 Squadron RAF (1941) - Bristol Blenheim IV
• No. 80 Squadron RAF (1944) - Supermarine Spitfire IX
• No. 112 Squadron RFC (1917) - Vickers ES 1
• No. 118 Squadron RAF (1944) - Supermarine Spitfire IX
• No. 124 Squadron RAF (1944) - Supermarine Spitfire VII & HF.IXE
• No. 132 Squadron RAF (1943) - Supermarine Spitfire IXB
• No. 143 Squadron RFC/RAF {1918-1919) Armstrong Whitworth FK.8, Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5A, Sopwith Camel & Sopwith Snipe
• No. 165 Squadron RAF (1944) - Supermarine Spitfire IXB
• No. 184 Squadron RAF (1943) - Supermarine Spitfire VB
• No. 229 Squadron RAF (1944) - Supermarine Spitfire IX
• No. 235 Squadron RAF (1940) - Bristol Blenheim 1F
• No. 239 Squadron RAF (1942) - North American Mustang I
• No. 274 Squadron RAF (1944) - Supermarine Spitfire IX
• No. 280 Squadron RAF (1942) - Avro Anson I
• No. 318 Squadron RAF (1943) - Hawker Hurricane I
• No. 453 Squadron RAAF (1944) - Supermarine Spitfire IXB
• No. 500 Squadron RAF (1938-1939) - Hawker Hind, Avro Anson I
• No. 504 Squadron RAF (1944) - Supermarine Spitfire IXE
• No. 567 Squadron RAF (1943-1944) - Fairey Barracuda, Miles Martinet, Hawker Hurricane IV & Airspeed Oxford
• No. 602 Squadron RAF (1943) - Supermarine Spitfire IXB
• No. 651 Squadron RAF (No. 1902 Flight) (1955-1957) - Auster AOP6
• No. 655 Squadron RAF (1943) - Auster III
• No. 651 Squadron RAF (No. 1903 Flight) (1951-1955) - Bristol Sycamore HC11