The maintenance burden of the Wright Flyer

Would a Wright Flyer be easier to maintain than an F-35?

No. Its custom engine and complex wire structure made it difficult to maintain, and its flight performance was extremely limited.

The Wright Flyer relied on a custom, hand-built engine and extensive wire bracing. Those features made it difficult to maintain despite its visual simplicity. Its limited control and range were also inferior to even very small modern drones. It was an important proof of concept, but it would be neither dependable nor useful in a modern military role.