Before 1930, Hispano-Suiza had built aircraft designed elsewhere and from 1928 had produced metal framed Nieuport-Delage 52 fighters for the Aviación Militar.

This contract encouraged them to design an intermediate military trainer to prepare Spanish pilots for the Nieuport and also to provide advanced training for blind flying, gunnery, bombing, photo-reconnaissance and wireless operation.

The fin, of similar construction, was broad and round edged, carrying the rudder which extended between the elevators to the fuselage bottom.

The undercarriage was fixed and wide track (2.60 m or 8 ft 6 in), with near vertical main legs mounted on the forward lift struts.

Split axles were fixed at the bottoms of the forward lift struts; single wheels were fitted with balloon tyres and had differential brakes for ground steering.

A second prototype flew the following year, powered by a 220 hp (164 kW) Hispano-Wright 9Qa, an early licence-built version of the 9-cylinder radial Wright Whirlwind.

[1] The Aeronáutica Militar aircraft had their radial engines cowled with Townend rings and driving a metal propeller; their wings carried Hadley Page slots.

[2] As the war ended, thirteen were captured by the Nationalists,[2] serving briefly with the Aviación Nacional[3] and then, in 1939, with the newly formed Ejercito del Aire until 1945.