The foremost compartment in the submarine is the Forward Torpedo Room. The Forward Torpedo Room contains six 21" diameter torpedo tubes in its forward bulkhead and torpedo racks on its port and starboard sides, and under the deck plates. These racks are directly behind the tubes and carry spare torpedoes. Tubes number 1-4 are located above the platform deck, while tubes 5 and 6 are below it. Six torpedoes were loaded in the tubes, with an additional ten reloads, for a total of sixteen in this compartment (including the 8 in the after torpedo room, a total of 24 were carried).
The two major types of torpedoes in use during W.W.II were the Mark 14 steam torpedo and the Mark 18 electric torpedo. The Mark 14 torpedo was faster, with a greater range than the Mark 18, but produced a tell-tale bubble wake, a result of the engine combustion process.
Crew bunks were arranged in three tiers on each side of the compartment, and the two side-by-side bunks located up high under the torpedo loading hatch were called the "bridal suite". Sixteen crewmen were berthed in this compartment.
Main features in this compartment include:
- Bow plane hydraulic cylinder and tilt mechanism
- Torpedo gyro setting indicator regulator
- Torpedo blow and vent manifold
- Torpedo drain manifold
- Impulse charging manifold
- Torpedo firing panel
- Bow buoyancy vent operating gear
- Bow plane rigging, anchor, windlass and capstan gear
- Marker buoy release
- Escape trunk
- Closing lever for escape trunk side hatch
- Bunks and lockers for crew