Duigan was born in Terang, Victoria, and grew up in Melbourne He married nurse Kathleen Rebecca Corney at Caulfield on 26 November 1913.

After seeing a postcard of Wilbur Wright's flights in France in late 1908 he began experimenting with aviation, first constructing a Wright-type glider, and then a powered aircraft.

His younger brother, Reg Duigan, assisted with most aspects of the construction and testing of the biplane and later flew it about a dozen times.

The biplane was flown in public at Bendigo Racecourse on 3 May 1911 where it completed its only circling flight as the paddock at Spring Plains was surrounded by hills and trees.

John and Reg then built a lighter version of the Avro design using the original ENV engine at their parents' house in Marshall Street Ivanhoe in Melbourne.

Despite being severely wounded, Duigan managed to land safely and saved the life of his observer Lieutenant Alec Paterson MM.

Qantas named their Airbus A380 registration VH-OQK "John and Reginald Duigan" in recognition of his and his brother's contribution to the aviation industry.