The Dornier Do 217 was a twin-engine, high-wing bomber extensively employed by the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Known for its versatility and adaptability, the aircraft was capable of carrying out a wide range of missions in its various versions, including strategic bombing, surface attack, and night-fighting operations. The Dornier Do 217K variant was specifically distinguished by a reinforced fuselage, redesigned wing surfaces, and upgraded engines. It was further developed to carry and deploy the Ruhrstahl SD 1400 “Fritz X” radio-guided bomb—an advanced and pioneering weapon for its time—mounted on an underwing pylon. With this configuration, the Do 217K was primarily deployed in the Mediterranean theater. On September 9, 1943, the Italian battleship Roma was struck and sunk by a Fritz X off the coast of Sardinia.