Bismarck also fired her main battery at the Lancasters
coming in to sink her on that last mission

This actually was fairly common. There are many motion pictures
showing USN ships banging away in order to create waterspouts in front
of low-level kamikaze attacks. I should think that was often done
against torpedo bombers, who had to fly at low level.

(To be sure, that's different from firing AT the aircraft.)

all the best -- Dan Ford
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