The powerful Quadrumviro was so impressed by the young lieutenant's skills that since then always put the utmost confidence in him as a pilot and as a collaborator, entrusting him with important assignments and choosing him as his own personal co-pilot in the Air Cruises that would see them soon protagonists.

The year after in 1928, Balbo appointed Cagna to study the feasibility and preparations for the accomplishment of the Western Mediterranean Cruise from 26 May to 2 June with a formation of SIAI S.9bis and Savoia-Marchetti S.55 for a total of 61 planes.

The two, driven by land from the shipwrecked airship by means of a rudimentary wireless system, succeeded, despite great difficulties due to weather conditions, to find and supply the unfortunate explorers on the ice, allowing them to survive until 12 July, the date of arrival of the Krassin icebreaker that brought them to safety.

On 1 August 1940, all British ships in the Mediterranean coordinated to implement Operation Hurry,[1] whose intent was to convey 12 Hawker Hurricane fighters to Malta to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the island.

General Cagna attacked with his SM79 the British H Force from Gibraltar, but off the Balearic Islands his plane, flying at the ceiling of 2,500 meters to center more effectively the enemy ships, was hit by violent anti-aircraft fire and crashed into the sea, killing him and all his crew,[2] including Lt.