Photograph:
Murphy Rebel VH-REB (c/n N398) at Temora, NSW in April 2010 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Canada
Description:
Three-seat light cabin monoplane
Power Plant:
One 93 kw (125 hp) Lycoming O-235 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.14 m (30 ft)
- Length: 6.55 m (21 ft 6 in)
- Height: 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 13.94 m² (150 sq ft)
- Max speed: 209 km/h (130 mph)
- Max cruising speed at sea level: 177 km/h (110 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 366 m/min (1,200 ft/min)
- Stalling speed flaps down, 50% power: 39 km/h (24 mph)
- Service ceiling: 3,960 m (13,000 ft)
- Range: 1,281 km (796 miles)
- Empty weight: 295 kg (650 lb)
- Loaded weight: 658 kg (1,450 lb)
History:
The Rebel was one of a series of kit aircraft produced by Murphy Aviation Ltd in British Colombia. Designed as a three-seat high-wing cabin monoplane for recreational, training, cross-country, border patrol, and other roles, it conformed with US FAR Part 23 and JAR 22 utility regulations.
Construction of the prototype began in October 1989 and it was first flown in 1990. Building of kit sets began twelve months later, and since then it has been sold in some numbers around the world. Available as a dual control homebuilt or microlight, the Rebel is a strut-braced high-wing monoplane of aluminium alloy structure with a metal covered fuselage.
The microlight variant had fabric covered wings and control surfaces. A non-retractable tail-wheel landing gear was fitted, and floats or skis were optional. Design limits were +6.6 and –4.4 G.
First of the type registered in Australia was VH-DOD (c/n Q121) in Queensland, followed by VH-RBL (c/n Q152), VH-REB (c/n N398), and VH-MZU (c/n N370). VH-REB suffered a serious landing accident and was rebuilt using a new fuselage.
Examples completed in New Zealand include ZK-FMR (c/n 565R), ZK-JHY (c/n 513), ZK-JQD (c/n 387) and ZK-WEC (c/n 647R). One example registered in New Zealand as ZK-DTT² (c/n 052 – ex G-MDTT) named Wild Thing was registered as an Ulbi WT-01 Klassic, this being a private development of the Murphy by the owner/builder Jersey Seipel in Germany. It was imported to New Zealand and first registered on 15 October 2010. It differed from the Rebel in that it was lighter and fell into Class 2 Microlight regulations with an all-up-weight of 544 kg (1,199 lb). It has a Jabiru 3300 six cylinder engine and first flew in New Zealand at Parakia on 11 October 2010.