Tour of Honor

Huey Helicopters

Memorials featuring UH-1 Huey helicopters preserved and displayed as tributes to aviation and military history. The Huey became an icon of the Vietnam War and continues to serve as a symbol of American military heritage.

The Bell UH-1 “Huey” helicopter was designed in 1952 as a utility and medical evacuation helicopter for the United States Army. By 1963, the UH-1 was in widespread use in Vietnam and quickly became the workhorse of that war. Hueys were used for troop transport, medical evacuation, and combat support, often equipped with machine guns, rockets, and grenade launchers. More than 7,000 Hueys were deployed to Vietnam, and nearly half were lost in combat.

The Huey’s distinctive two-bladed rotor system produced the well-known “whoop-whoop” sound that became one of the most recognizable sounds of the Vietnam War. The need to protect troop transports eventually led to the development of the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter in 1967, which used many of the same components as the UH-1.

More than 10% of Vietnam casualties were helicopter crew members, many of them door gunners who served in extremely exposed positions. The average life expectancy of a door gunner in Vietnam was only a few weeks. This category honors those crews and the aircraft that supported troops throughout the war.

The Challenge

The challenge is to locate and photograph life-size UH-1 (Huey) and AH-1 (Cobra) helicopters in military color schemes. Helicopters must include the main rotor with two blades and the tail section with rotor blades attached.

Multiple Hueys at the same location may be scored if each helicopter has a visible serial number or identifiable markings.

Tour of Honor Huey Finisher Levels

Bronze – 10 different Hueys
Silver – 20 different Hueys
Gold – 30 different Hueys
Crew Chief Level – 50 different Hueys

Photo Requirements

Each submission must include:

The qualifying Huey helicopter
Your motorcycle
Rider flag (and passenger if applicable)
Enough background to identify the location or a geotag-enabled photo

If the motorcycle cannot be included in the same photo, submit a second photo showing the motorcycle and rally flag in nearby designated parking.

Important Notes

Helicopters restored to flying status or trailered displays are eligible if the serial number is included with the submission.
Helicopters converted to firefighting, law enforcement, or other non-military uses are not eligible.
Helicopters missing rotor assemblies or incomplete airframes are not eligible.
Four-bladed rotor helicopters (AH-64 Apache or AH-1Z) are not eligible for this challenge.
Photos of museum doors, hangars, or restricted areas when access is not available are not eligible for scoring.
Some locations may have access restrictions such as military bases, museums, or limited visiting hours. Riders are responsible for determining access before visiting.

Locations not yet documented on the Tour of Honor list are encouraged to be submitted. Include multiple photos (full view, tail number, plaque, signage) along with GPS coordinates or location information.

GPX File

Revised 5/9/2026