So I'm working on a F14A, and my tester and I disagree on the engine setup. I need opinions please.

Facts: F14a cannot launch from a carrier w/o afterburner. F14a cannot launch from a carrier w/o using the catapult. F14a can fly at 1500mph or mach 2 at high altitude.

My solution: Primary engine has 4power and 10input causing it to accelerate slowly due to engine spool. You can take off with a deck run just barely. After burner is a separate engine and not brought into the launch equation due to the fact that it has to look right.

However, my tester says that fighter jet engines spool quickly so this is technically wrong. Which is true for the most part. What actually keeps the plane from being able to just fly off the deck is the science behind jet engines, in that from a stand still you may be at full throttle but you dont have max thrust due to not enough air entering the engine. So the faster you go the more power the engines can produce. Unless I'm way off.

So. I simulated the catapult using a gun with negative damage and high force shooting the plane inside. But should I have quickly spooling engines that make this unnecessary as you could just fly off the end of the deck np, or stick with the slower spooling ones for take off realism?
Video