The He 51a was a development of the previous He 49 and was given a new tail fin, wings, undercarriage and radiator. It was a successful World War II fighter used as a light ground attack airplane as well as a serviceable floatplane derivative. Despite the limitations imposed on German war machine development following the close of World War I, the He 51 was none-the-less pursued under the guise of it being an advanced trainer. In many ways, the He 51 was part of the "new-look" German military soon to be unleashed on an unsuspecting world.