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Was this the way they did it IRL?
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I don't know at the moment. Pilots always used the tail wheel lock when available, and you should too. I promise, you won't be a noob if you do.
Pilots also had to be very conscious of torque and other forces and anticipate them.
But I'd be skeptical that pilots would occupy themselves with lowering flaps while accelerating down a narrow and short deck. They probably set "landing" flaps prior to launch. The method I describe gets you accelerating faster as it reduces drag. I should also mention that I'm designating the flap designations loosely in the way that Il-2 describes them, and that in reality the pilot set flaps marked by degrees.
The F-4U was regarded as a very difficult aircraft to takeoff and land from a carrier. Huge numbers were lost to accidents. Don't be hard on yourself if it takes a while to get used to. Practicing in a Hellcat can help a great deal. It has stronger gear, better visibility, and in my opinion, is a better fighter anyway.