With regard to the V-bombers being able to crank all four together .... that would have been something to see - actually to hear.
As to the bod at the front being able to look back and see what was happening on the wing, is this not another reason for the video camera tucked under the rear fuselage? The point of that was from the BD problem of shutting down the wrong engine but it might also help with starts, i.e. seeing the puff/cloud of exhaust from a jet or watching the spokes go round?
The idea being a camera in a faired pod under the tail, so that it could see wing tip to wing tip. The image would be viewed on one of the glass screens by the mode selector. The camera would be able to see the undercart and it's doors, the engines and the flaps and other flying surfaces on the wing. In the event of dumping fuel, you could (probably) see it streaming away from the vent.
This was also mentioned with the problem of some carriers no longer having ground staff available for inspection of the flying surfaces response to input. Particularly so on the first rotation of the day, or after maintenance.