I think Wes may have been influenced as a child by watching the work of Gerry Anderson:
IMAGES:
http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/galleries/x701/56889.jpg
http://i0.wp.com/downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/thunderbirds-are-go-doc.jpg
http://www.ridelust.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/WesAnderson.jpg
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03067/thunderbirds1_3067619b.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/28/Joe90PuppetCast.jpg/275px-Joe90PuppetCast.jpg