I also prefer the red/black color scheme -- I have the Hikaru DX -- but there's no denying that Focker's yellow/black is the definitive VF-1S, both in-universe and among fans.
Was the concert footage originally planned for the end of DYRL though? The story I thought I remembered was DYRL was supposed to end with a Minmei performance but they ran out of production time.
The SDF-2 taking off and heading into space I do recall being planned as an epilogue for the TV series, like you say.
Like many others, have been using them for 20+ years. Never a problem. Over those 20+ years, I've lived in multiple countries, and delivery has never been a problem.