[pursuivant]

Maps of the United States would be interesting, but to make them look good, you'd need to create a whole bunch of ground objects - like 1940s-era U.S. style houses, barns and commercial buildings. Also, be aware that many parts of the U.S. have changed radically in the last 60+ years, especially along the coasts. In the South especially, the population was much lower, there wasn't nearly as much suburban sprawl, no interstate highways, many secondary roads were still unpaved, and the fields looked a bit different since soybeans weren't a major crop, also many of the flood control projects along the coasts and major rivers hadn't been put into place, so there were more extensive wetlands. For example, your map of the Mississippi Delta reflects modern data. In the 1940s, it wouldn't have been nearly as eroded. If you're a stickler for accuracy, you'll need to modify your STRM data using old USGS or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maps. For information about airports, some (academic) libraries still hav Jeppson charts from approximately the right era.