A P-47 Taxies to the runway for a mission with a man sitting on it's wing, WW2.

This P-47 Thunderbolt is getting ready for a mission, bomber escort, close ground support or seek out and destroy.  What ever the mission is the P-47 Thunderbolt is designed to get there and get back.  In all the time the P-47 flew from Ie Shima, there were no combat losses.  The only aircraft that was lost from the squadron was just after a takeoff on a test run.  Do you see the man sitting on the wing?  He is there so the pilot doesn't run into anything.  This is very common because it is impossible to see directly in front of a Thunderbolt when it is taxiing since the steering is a tail wheel and the nose is stuck high in the air.