Capital-ship main guns against aircraft

Were capital ships' heavy main guns ever effective against aircraft?

They could discourage aircraft from entering an area, but destructive direct hits were rare exceptions rather than dependable anti-aircraft performance.

Heavy main guns could create an area that attacking aircraft preferred to avoid. Direct hits were exceptional and depended heavily on luck. One reported incident has a 16-inch shell striking the front of an Italian trimotor aircraft and collapsing its main structure. The possible record-range shot is presented as a rare event rather than a measure of routine effectiveness. The overall assessment gives these barrages more psychological than physical effect.