The Man Who Ate an Entire Airplane Over Two Years

Michel Lotito didn't just nibble on a few screws. Between 1978 and 1980, this French entertainer methodically consumed an entire Cessna 150 airplane—propeller, wings, seats, and all. His stage name? Monsieur Mangetout, which translates to "Mister Eat-All."

Lotito's approach was surprisingly systematic. He used an electric saw to cut the aircraft into bite-sized chunks, then swallowed roughly 900 grams of metal per day. To help the metal pass through his system, he drank mineral oil and large quantities of water. The entire plane took about two years to finish.

A Stomach Made of Steel

How did he survive this? Lotito had a rare combination of conditions that made his bizarre diet possible. He suffered from pica, a psychological disorder characterized by cravings for non-food items. But more remarkably, doctors discovered he had unusually thick stomach and intestinal linings—roughly twice as thick as average—which protected him from cuts and punctures that would kill most people.

His digestive acids were also exceptionally powerful, allowing him to break down metal and glass without poisoning himself. Ironically, bananas and hard-boiled eggs made him sick.

The Menu of Madness

The Cessna was just one item on Lotito's extraordinary menu. Over his 38-year career, he also consumed:

• 18 bicycles
• 15 shopping carts
• 7 television sets
• 6 chandeliers
• 2 beds
• 1 pair of skis
• 1 computer
• 1 coffin (handles included)

When Guinness World Records awarded him a brass plaque for "strangest diet," Lotito ate that too.

The Legacy

Between 1966 and 1997, Lotito consumed approximately nine tons of metal during his performances. He died in 2007 of natural causes—surprisingly, not from his diet. While some skeptics question whether he truly ate every gram of that Cessna, multiple witnesses, medical examinations, and his Guinness recognition suggest his performances were genuine, even if staged eating doesn't necessarily mean complete digestion.

His stomach may have been lined with steel, but his legacy is pure entertainment gold.