Kit plane manufacturer Murphy Aircraft Manufacturing, based in Chilliwack, British Columbia, has gone insolvent after the building’s owner ordered a court-arranged auction to recover months of unpaid rent. Successful bidders carted away tools, machinery, parts, amphibious floats, and partially completed aircraft from the factory following the sale, according to a report by Canadian Aviator.
Founded in 1985 by Daryl Murphy, the company sold more than 2,000 kits, including popular models such as the Renegade, Rebel, Moose, and Radical. In 2022, Murphy sold the firm to Beijing-based Duofu Group, a Chinese conglomerate with over $38 billion in annual revenues. Although Duofu aimed to restore profitability by expanding kit production and parts sales, financial distress emerged in recent months as vendor and utility payments lapsed.
The situation deteriorated rapidly following the July 2026 detention of Duofu founder Hu Xingrong in China on suspicion of bank fraud involving inflated loan collateral. As financial support from the parent company vanished, Murphy Aircraft was forced into liquidation.
The future of the company’s intellectual property remains uncertain.
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