A pre-dreadnought can stop a pursuing battlecruiser at close range

Could a pre-dreadnought sacrifice itself to delay a battlecruiser long enough for a carrier to launch aircraft?

At close range the pre-dreadnought might destroy the battlecruiser itself because its armor, construction, and heavy guns remain formidable.

The carrier cannot turn into wind before a pursuing battlecruiser catches it, so a pre-dreadnought interposes itself. The older battleship's armor, sturdy construction, and heavy guns would likely be decisive at such short range. The scenario illustrates how tactical geometry can make an obsolete-looking ship highly consequential.