Hal 9000 said:
But someone in a theater in 2005 was supposed to see it as a will-be remodeled Taintive IV? Does anyone have the novelization handy, to reference?
yep, I just checked: it reads "Tantive IV" in the novel!
and 2006 Wizards brought out a miniature game with figures and starships, and guess what: I got the blue "Tantive IV" ;-)
=> http://paizo.com/products/btpy7vna?Star-Wars-Miniatures-Starship-Battles-Tantive-IV