One other aspect of night rig take-offs was the susceptibility of the pilot to the "leans". A very current pilot tends to suffer far less, but the NHP needs to be quick in his responses to over-controlling or loss of spatial awareness in the other seat. Add in a minor physical degradation such as unrecognised fatigue or the onset of a head cold and the leans can bite the most current. The manoeuvre is certainly not recommended for any pilot lacking in either currency or training.
Also IIRC off-shore a towering take-off was acceptable because officially all take-offs and landings were visual, no matter what time of day or night.
SND