Alan,
It does sound daft, but i'm sure i heard of some models that were manned where the men did wear waserrs and their heads and shoulders were inside the models.
I think it was at Scarbrough where they put on a show, guns blazing sort of thing.
See
http://www.discoveryorkshirecoast.co....asp?id=026748
it seems loke it is still going on.
J.