1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                             HACKMYER & NORDLICHT
                              COUNSELLORS AT LAW
                                OLYMPIC TOWER
                               645 FIFTH AVENUE
                             NEW YORK, N.Y. 10022



    OF COUNSEL                                       TELEPHONE (212) 421-6500
ARNOLD A. HACKMYER                                      FAX (212) 421-0499


                                        February 10, 1997


SpecTran Corporation
50 Hall Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566

Ladies and Gentleman:

        This opinion is furnished to you in connection with a registration
statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement"), filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, for the registration of 2,070,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.10 per
value (the "Shares"), of SpecTran Corporation, a Delaware Corporation (the
"Company").  The Shares are to be sold pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement
(the "Underwriting Agreement") to be entered into among the Company, the
Selling Stockholder named in Schedule B to the Underwriting Agreement (the
"Selling Stockholder"), and Tucker Anthony Incorporated and Raymond James &
Associates, Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named in
Schedule A to the Underwriting Agreement.

        We have acted as counsel for the Company in connection with the sale by
the Company and the Selling Stockholder of the Shares.  For purposes of our
opinion, we have examined and relied upon such documents, records, certificates
and other instruments as we have deemed necessary.

        We express no opinion as to the applicability of, compliance with or
effect of federal law or the law of any jurisdiction other than the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

        Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that (i) the Shares
have been duly authorized, (ii) when issued by the Company, upon the surrender
by the Selling Stockholder of its warrant to purchase 350,000 shares and the
payment by the Selling Stockholder of $700,000, the Shares being sold by the
Selling Stockholder will have been validly issued and will be fully paid and
nonassessable and (iii) when issued and sold by the Company in accordance with
the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Shares 




   2
being sold by the Company will have been validly issued and will be fully paid
and non-assessable.

        We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as part of the
Registration Statement and to the use of our name therein and in the related
prospectus under the caption "Legal Matters."

        This opinion is to be used only in connection with the offer and sale
of the Shares while the Registration Statement is in effect.


                                        Very Truly Yours,

                                        /s/ Hackmyer & Nordlicht
                                        
                                        Hackmyer & Nordlicht