EXHIBIT 5.1

                     SCHNECK WELTMAN HASHMALL & MISCHEL LLP
                           1285 Avenue of the Americas
                            New York, New York 10019
                                Tel 212-956-1500
                                Fax 212-956-3252



                                 August 27, 1996

Diplomat Corporation
25 Kay Fries Drive
Stony Point, New York  10980

                  Re:      Diplomat Corporation
                           Registration of 1,700,000 Shares
                           of Common Stock on Form S-8

Gentlemen:

     We have acted as counsel for Diplomat Corporation, a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), in connection with the preparation and filing of the
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement"), pursuant to
which the Company proposes to registrar 1,700,000 shares of the Company's common
stock, $.0001 par value per share ("Common Stock"). We are familiar with the
proceedings by which the Common Stock has been authorized and issued and have
reviewed and are familiar with the Certificate of Incorporation and the By-laws
of the Company, and such other corporate records and documents as we have deemed
necessary to express the opinion herein stated. We have assumed the genuineness
of all signatures and the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as
originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us
as certified or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the originals of
such latter documents.

     Based upon the foregoing, and having regard to legal considerations we deem
relevant, we are of the opinion that the Common Stock has been duly and validly
authorized and when issued by the Company will be fully paid for and
non-assessable.

     We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as Exhibit 5(a) to the
Registration Statement and to the inclusion of our name under the section of the
Prospectus entitled "Legal Matters."

                                   Very truly yours,

                                   /s/SCHNECK WELTMAN HASHMALL & MISCHEL LLP


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