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The Man Who Ate A Plane: 7 Shocking Facts About Michel Lotito, 'Monsieur Mangetout'

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The story of Michel Lotito is one of the most bizarre and medically inexplicable tales in modern history. As of December 21, 2025, the legend of the French entertainer known globally as "Monsieur Mangetout"—or "Mr. Eat-All"—continues to baffle scientists, doctors, and the public alike. His most famous, and arguably most dangerous, feat was the deliberate consumption of an entire light aircraft, piece by metallic piece, over a period of two years.

This incredible accomplishment was not a simple stunt but a lifetime’s work fueled by a rare medical condition. Lotito’s ability to safely ingest and digest up to two pounds of metal and glass daily cemented his status as a true anomaly. His story offers a fascinating, and often disturbing, look into the limits of the human body and the mysteries of the digestive tract.

Michel Lotito: A Life Consuming the Unthinkable

Michel Dominique Lotito's life was extraordinary from the start, defined by an insatiable hunger for the inedible. His career as a professional entertainer was built entirely on his unique, and dangerous, diet.

  • Full Name: Michel Dominique Lotito
  • Nickname: Monsieur Mangetout (French for "Mr. Eat-All")
  • Born: June 16, 1950, in Grenoble, France
  • Died: June 25, 2007, in Grenoble, France
  • Age at Death: 57
  • Cause of Death: Natural causes (unrelated to his unusual diet)
  • Active Years: Circa 1966 – 1997 (performing his eating feats)
  • Most Famous Feat: Eating a complete Cessna 150 light aircraft.
  • Key Guinness World Record: Held the record for the "Strangest Diet."

The Medical Secret: Pica and the Iron Stomach

Lotito's bizarre diet was not merely a matter of willpower or showmanship; it was rooted in a genuine, recognized medical condition known as Pica. Pica is an eating disorder characterized by an appetite for non-nutritive substances, such as dirt, paint, or, in Lotito's extreme case, metal and glass.

He reportedly discovered his unusual ability early in life, with some sources claiming he began consuming small pieces of glass and metal as young as nine years old.

The Protective Physiology of Monsieur Mangetout

What truly separated Michel Lotito from others with Pica was his remarkable physical resilience. Doctors who studied him found two critical physiological factors that allowed him to survive a diet that would be instantly fatal to a normal person:

  1. An Unusually Thick Stomach Lining: His stomach and intestinal walls were significantly thicker than average. This served as a crucial protective barrier, preventing sharp edges of glass and metal from perforating his digestive tract.
  2. Potent Digestive Juices: Lotito's gastric juices were exceptionally strong, enabling his body to process and break down the metallic and mineral components of the objects he consumed. This combination of a fortified lining and powerful chemical breakdown was his biological superpower.

Ironically, Lotito claimed that conventional foods, such as bananas and hard-boiled eggs, would make him sick, highlighting the complete reversal of his normal dietary tolerances.

How to Eat an Entire Cessna 150: The Two-Year Feast

The consumption of a Cessna 150 airplane is the pinnacle of Lotito’s career and remains his most celebrated achievement. The Cessna 150 is a small, two-seater aircraft, but consuming its metallic frame, rubber tires, and plastic components was a monumental task that took him 24 months, from 1978 to 1980.

The process was meticulous and required significant preparation for each meal to prevent internal injury. Lotito could consume approximately 900 grams (about 2 pounds) of indigestible material per day.

The Mechanical and Chemical Preparation

Lotito could not simply swallow large chunks of metal. His method was a calculated combination of mechanical reduction and chemical lubrication:

  • Dismantling and Cutting: The airplane, along with other large objects like bicycles and televisions, had to be first broken down. Lotito used tools to cut the metal, glass, and rubber components into small, manageable pieces.
  • Mineral Oil and Water: To help the sharp pieces pass safely through his esophagus and stomach, Lotito would drink copious amounts of mineral oil. This non-digestible oil acted as a lubricant, coating the sharp metal fragments and easing their journey through his digestive system.
  • Constant Hydration: He would chase the pieces with large quantities of water, which further aided in the lubrication and passage of the material.

A Career Built on Indigestible Objects

While the Cessna 150 is his signature dish, Lotito’s diet over his career was a veritable junkyard of metallic and synthetic objects. His performances were a major draw for audiences fascinated by his seemingly superhuman ability. Between 1959 and 1997, it is estimated that he consumed nearly nine tons of metal. The list of items he consumed is extensive and truly unbelievable:

  • 18 Bicycles
  • 15 Shopping Carts
  • 7 Televisions
  • 6 Chandeliers
  • 2 Beds
  • A Coffin (with handles)
  • A complete Cessna 150 Aircraft

His incredible feats earned him a place in the 1984 Guinness Book of Records for the "Strangest Diet," a record that highlights the sheer volume and variety of indigestible objects he consumed.

The Legacy of Monsieur Mangetout

Michel Lotito passed away in 2007 from natural causes, a fact that is perhaps the most shocking aspect of his life—his bizarre diet did not kill him. The metal, glass, and rubber he consumed over decades did not lead to the internal bleeding, poisoning, or perforation that doctors would predict for any other human being.

His legacy endures as a profound case study in human physiology and the rare condition of Pica. The combination of a psychological compulsion and a unique biological defense mechanism allowed him to transform a deadly aircraft into a world record and a lifetime of unbelievable performances. Lotito remains the only person in history to have successfully consumed a full-sized airplane, ensuring that the name Michel Lotito, the man who ate a plane, will forever be synonymous with the extraordinary and the impossible.

The Man Who Ate a Plane: 7 Shocking Facts About Michel Lotito, 'Monsieur Mangetout'
man who ate a plane
man who ate a plane

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