Japanese 8" (and 14", 16", and 18" guns) had such rounds ("San-Shiki" type) and they never proved terribly effective. They're mentioned on navweaps.com, though you'll have to read down a little and the particulars are not terribly detailed. They're listed here as the "Common type 3 IS": http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNJAP_8-50_3ns.htm There are similar references for San Shiki in other calibers as well, with the 18.1" entry carrying marginally more detail, but still being pretty spare. Wikipedia has an article about the shells with a photograph of one bursting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Shiki_(anti-aircraft_shell) Matrix Games points out such shells in actual combat use at Sibuyan Sea: The ship in the circle is elsewhere noted to be Nagato firing just such shells. Aviator accounts describe them as being a pretty fireworks display, but no one seems to have been terribly intimidated by them, though they were at times reported to be bursting at the correct altitude and relatively near formations.