It costs about �1bn, weighs 8,500 tonnes and has sailed around the globe serving the Royal Navy.

But now people can put Great Yarmouth's adopted warship HMS Dauntless on their mantelpiece, with the unveiling of a new Airfix model of a Type 45 destroyer.

The new model of the Type 45 class - which is not based on a specific warship - was unveiled onboard the HMS Dauntless this month.

The warship class has been replicated accurately in plastic, 350 times smaller than the real thing and costing less than �60.

Model designers took countless photographs of the ship - with a mop in each shot to help with scaling - to create an accurate replica of a Type 45 which is 436mmlong and 60mm wide.

The real thing is 152m long with a beam of 21.2m - and will not fit on your mantelpiece.

The 203 part kit comes with a 12-page booklet about the Type 45s, plus glue to help stick it together and brushes and eight small pots of paint to give it the sleek grey messenger of death finish.

Darrell Burge, Airfix marketing manager, said: 'Not only have we had the opportunity to develop a super-accurate model, we've also worked closely with them to produce a superb booklet detailing the crew's duties whilst onboard.'

His team presented Dauntless' commanding officer Adrian Fryer with the first finished replica – specially mounted on a plinth and fitted with harpoon launchers on the forecastle - unlike the real thing.

Cdr Fryer said: 'Hopefully the models will help spread the word about the capability of our Type 45 destroyers.

'As a kid I used to enjoy my Airfix models so this is great.

'I'm looking forward to when my son grows up and can make things like this himself.'

The set is ranked by Airfix as among the harder of their kits to assemble.

More details about the gift set, which has an RRP of �59.99, can be found at www.airfix.com/airfix-products/new-models-for-2011/gift-sets/a50132-hms-daring-type-45-destroyer-gift-set-a50132

Some of the proceeds from the sale of each set go back into the RN's coffers.